OUR 


a  per  &  Qurrepey 


POCKET    EDITION 


• 


OUR 

PAPER   CURRENCY 


THE   MOST 

COMPLKTK,   ACCURATE; 


INSTRUCTION    EXTANT 

IN    REGARD   TO 

ALL  THE  SAFEGUARDS 


GENUINE    PAPER    CURRENCY 

WHICH  FURNISH  INFALLIBLE  INFORMATION. 


BYRON  N.  ROOKS. 

M-THOR    AND   PUBLISHER,    MINNEAPOLIS,    MINN.,   TO  WHOM 
ALL   ORDERS   SHOULD   BE   ADDRESSED. 


RUTHERFORD   &   SMITH, 
PORTLAND,   OR. 


"  Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  A.  D. 
1891,  by  BYRON  N.  ROOKS,  in  the  office  of  the 
Librarian  of  Congress,  Washington.  D.  C.'1 


Having  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  been 
engaged  in  study  and  in  imparting  my  Instructions  on 
Genuine  Currency  to  thousands  of  money  handlers 
throughout  the  United  States  and  Canada,  and  having 
been  requested  by  hundreds  of  my  patrons  to  put  into 
print  the  facts  conveyed  by  oral  instructions,  and  having 
recently  been  urged  to  do  so  immediately  by  many 
worthy  and  eminent  persons  whose  good  opinion  it  will 
ever  be  a  source  of  joy  to  know  I  possess  I  have  at  last 
concluded  to  do  so. 

In  doing  so,  however,  I  have  intentionally  omitted  all 
explanation  of  the  various  processes  by  which  genuine 
currency  is  made,  for  the  very  good  reason  that  such 
information  would  merely  satisfy  an  inquisitive  curiosity 
of  honest  folk,  without  giving  any  more  complete  practi- 
cal knowledge,  while  such  facts  might  be  "  hints"  to  a 
criminal  class  to  better  perform  their  nefarious  work, 
that  every  good  citizen  should  desire  to  suppress. 

Trusting  that  the  principles  herein  explained  will  not 
be  perused  merely,  but  will  be  thoroughly  mastered 
by  all  who  read  this  volume,  to  the  end  that  each  may 
do  his  part  toward  the  suppression  of  the  circulation  of 
counterfeit  money,  and  with  confidence  that  herein  all  of 
the  reliable  safe-guards  that  have  been  placed  on  all 
issues  of  paper  currency  ever  placed  in  circulation  by 
authority  of  the  government  have  been  simplified  and 
made  so  plain  that  any  one,  even  a  child,  can  master 
them. 

•I  am, 

Sincerely  yours, 

BYRON  N.  ROOKS. 


2003132 


INDKX. 


Page.   I 
Preface 3   I    Introduction 

CHAPTER  I. 

Various  Issues  of  Genuine  Paper 
Currency 

CHAPTER  II. 

Different  Kinds  of  Counterfeit  Paper  Currency  _. 

CHAPTER  III 


Page. 

•—    5 


Various  Designs  Found  on  Our  Pa- 
per Currency 


Section  8— Artistic  Engraving 27 

1.  Portraits 27 

2.  Drapery 29 

3.  Perspective 30 

4.  Background 30 

5.  Ornamental  Work-  31 

6.  Solid  Print 32 

Section  9 — Duplicated  Designs  .  _  33 
Section  10— General  Appearance.  23 
Elements  Quickly  Recognized—  35 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Section  6— Type  in  Numbers 48 

Section  7— Character    or     Check 
Letters 49 

Section  S— Signatures so 

Section  9— Stolen    National    Cur- 
fcaxy  Notes 51 

Section  10 — Script  Lettering 53 

Section  11— Background  of  Treas- 
ury Numbers 53 

Section  12 — Feeling  of  Paper 54 

CHAPTER  V. 

Section  4 — Portraits  on  silver  Cer- 
tificates  59 

Section  5  -  Portraits  on  Gold  Cer- 
tificates  59 

Section  6— Portraits  on  Coin  Notes  60 
Sectio.i  7— Portraits  and  Vignettes 
on  National  Currency 60 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Questions  and  Answers  in  regard  to  Oral  Instruction 65 

CHAPTER  VII. 


Fundamental  Principles 14 

Section  i— Texture  of  Paper 14 

Section  2— Localized  Fiber 16 

Section  ^ —Silk  Fiber 17 

Section  4— Color  of  Paper 19 

Section  5 — Inks  in  Treasury  and 

Bank  Numbers 20 

Section  6 — Shadinsr  of  Letters 23 

Section  7— Lathe  Work 25 


Minor  Principles  or  Rules 38 

Section  i — Inks  in  Seals 39 

Section  2— Inks  in  Dark  Impres- 
sions         41 

Section  3 — Inks  in  Printing  Green 

hngravings 42 

Section  4 — Other  Different  Colors 

of  Inks  Emp  oyed 43 

Section  5— Altered  Notes 45 

Section  6 — Charter  Numbers 47 


Description  of  the  Artistic  Engrav- 
ings on  all  Genuine  .Notes 55 

Section  i— Compound        Interest 
Notes 56 

Section  2 — Greenbacks  Proper 57 

Section  3— Portraits  and  Vignettes 
on  Treasury  Notes  Proper 57 


Special  Points 71 

Section  i— Special  Points  onGreen- 
backs— -  ...  72 


Section  2 — Special  Points  on  Na- 
tional Currency  Notes 74 

Section  3 — SpecialPoints  on  Treas- 
ury Notes 78 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


How  to  Become  Kxpert 

Reasons  for  the  Necessity  for  Becoming  Expert 
Endorsements  and  Recommendation*      _ 


We  have,  for  the  greater  part  of  a  professional  lifetime, 
successfully  contended  against  the  old  method  of  "  In- 
struction on  Counterfeit  Money"  which  furnished 
money  handlers  simply  with  a  list  of  existing  counter- 
feits, and  made  them  depend  for  protection  on  memorizing 
these  various  issues,  and  also  the  "  Special  Points"  on 
each  counterfeit. 

"  Special  Points  "  are  characteristics  of  the  genuine 
wherein  particular  counterfeits  are  defective. 

Such  knowledge  we  have  honestly  objected  to,  for  the 
reasons  that  at  best  such  information  could  only  refer  to 
existing  counterfeits,  would  be  burdensome  to  the  mem- 
ory and  be  easily  forgotten,  for  the  reason  that  one  could 
refresh  his  memory  only  by  seeing  the  various  counter- 
feits previously  memorized  ;  and  such  information  could 
offer  no  protection  against  future  issues  of  counterfeits, 
and  therefore  gave  no  means  for  exciting  suspicion 
while  rapidly  handling  money. 

We  have  contended  that  the  reverse  is  the  only  reliable, 
practical  and  lasting  method  of  acquiring  a  complete 
knowledge  of  this  very  important  field  of  bank  work, 
namely,  to  become  perfectly  familiar  with,  to  learn 
and  master  every  distinctive  characteristic  of  the 
genuine.  When  this  is  done,  every  genuine  note  handled 
refreshes  the  mind,  and  no  counterfeit  has  ever  been 
issued  that  while  rapidly  handling  money  would  not 


excite  suspicion  by  the  general  appearance  ;  and  then  by 
applying  the  fundamental  principles  that  lie  at  the 
foundation  of  the  execution  of  all  genuine  notes,  the 
true  character  of  the  suspected  note  can  be  demonstrated 
to  an  absolute  certainty,  thus  enabling  one,  not  only  to 
tell  positively,  but  also  to  tell  why  a  note  is  good  or 
bad.  This  ability  is  only  to  be  "secured  by  patient,  faith- 
ful study  of  the  genuine  so  that  if  any  counterfeit  is 
offered  "  a  something  wanting  "  will  be  instantly  detected, 
and  then  by  examination,  by  applying  general  principles, 
the  special  defects  will  be  quickly  noticed. 

There  is  no  objection  offered  to  one's  becoming  familiar 
with  "  special  points  "  as  aids  in  determining  the  charac- 
ter of  any  known  and  dangerous  counterfeit,  or  in  aiding 
to  identify  old  and  mutilated  genuine  notes  on  which 
such  counterfeits  have  been  issued,  and  the  plates  of 
which  have  been  captured,  but  the  point  we  insist  on 
is  that  general  principles  that  identify  the  genuine 
form,  the  only  true  guide  for  money  handlers.  The 
government  has  done  better  than  is  generally  known  in 
securing  infallible  safe-guards,  and  it  is  the  object  of  this 
work  to  explain  all  of  them.  The  counterfeiter  will 
never  cease  attempting  to  secure  money  without  honest 
effort  by  imposing  upon  those  who,  through  lack  of 
information,  are  his  unwilling  dupes.  During  the  past 
twelve  months  the  country  has  been  flooded  anew  with 
counterfeits,  and  this  will  ever  be.  The  government  has 
issued  a  great  many  notes  of  different  designs  that  con- 
fuse the  money  handler  who  is  not  familiar  with  the 
principles  herein  explained,  and  when  one  endeavors  to 


protect  himself  from  imposition  by  depending  solely  on  a 
"Counterfeit  Reporter,"  no  matter  how  accurate  and 
reliable  it  is,  without  becoming  so  familiar  with  the 
genuine  as  to  enable  him  to  stop  the  counterfeit  when 
presented,  how  can  he  protect  himself? 

We  do  not  wish  to  condemn  the  various  issues  of 
reliable  "Counterfeit  Detectors,"  "  Counterfeit  Reporters" 
or  any  other  reliable  means  that  may  be  offered  to  furnish 
people  with  accurate  information.  They  are  good  in 
their  way,  and  every  bank  should  have  one,  yet,  as  was 
said  before,  unless  the  money  handler  has  the  informa- 
tion that  enables  him  to  become  suspicious,  of  what 
value  is  any  such  information?  This  knowledge  can 
only  be  secured  by  becoming  familiar  with  the  genu- 
ine, and  this  can  only  be  done  by  mastering  the  princi- 
ples and  information  contained  in  this  book  by  learning 
from  "Practical  Instruction,"  or  by  long,  patient  ex- 
perience in  following  a  fixed  habit  of  studying  the 
genuine,  by  comparing  them  with  similar  specimens 
known  to  be  counterfeit  whenever  the  opportunity  offers. 
It  is  the  object  of  this  volume  to  give  such  a  complete 
knowledge  of  the  genuine  that  those  who  have  had 
practical  instruction  may  follow  up  the  study,  and  become, 
indeed,  expert,  and  that  anyone  with  care  can  so 
thoroughly  master  that  no  Counterfeit,  Spurious,  Altered, 
Changed  or  Fraudulent  note  will  be  at  any  time  accepted. 


CHAPTER  I. 

VARIOUS  ISSUES  OF  GENUINE  PAPER  CURRENCY. 

The  various  issues  of  "Our  Paper  Currency"  ever 
issued  by  authority  of  the  Government  since  1860,  may 
be  aptly  classified  for  the  purpose  of  this  book  into  : 

(i).  Greenbacks.  (2).  National  Currency  Notes. 
(3).  Treasury  Notes. 

GREENBACKS. 

Greenbacks  include  all  notes  issued  directly  by  the 
United  States  prior  to  the  series  of  1869,  namely  : 

(i).  Compound  Interest  Notes  (mostly  withdrawn). 
(2).  Demand  Notes  (mostly  withdrawn).  (3).  Frac- 
tional Currency  (mostly  withdrawn).  (4).  Greenbacks 
proper. 

NATIONAL  CURRENCY. 

The  National  Currency  Notes  include  all  notes  ever 
issued  directly  by  National  Banks,  namely  : 

(i).  National  Gold  Bank  Notes  of  Cala.  (2).  Green- 
back National  Currency  Notes.  (3).  Brown-back  Na- 
tional Currency  Notes. 

Of  the  Greenback  N.  C.  there  were  : 

1.  Those  having  small,  pointed  seal:    (i).  Some  bear- 
ing no  charter  numbers.     (2).  Some  bore  charter  num- 
bers printed  in  small  black  figures.      (3).  While  others 
bore  charter  numbers  printed  in  large,  red  figures, 

2.  Those  bearing  scalloped  seal. 


TREASURY  NOTES. 

The  Treasury  Notes  include  all  notes  issued  by  the 
Government  since  and  including  the  series  of  1869, 
namely  : 

(i).  Treasury  Notes  proper.  (3).  Gold  Certificates. 
(2).  Silver  Certificates.  (4).  Coin  Notes. 

Of  these  various  issues  there  have  not  been,  nor  is  it 
likely  that  there  will  ever  be  put  into  circulation  any 
counterfeits  on  : 

(i).  $500.  Greenback  bearing  Albert  Galatin's  por- 
trait. (2).  National  Gold  Bank  Notes  of  California. 
(3).  Greenback  National  Currency  Notes  bearing 
black  charter  numbers. 

There  is  no  probability  of  these  ever  being  counter- 
feited, for  the  reason  that  they  were  comparatively  few 
in  number,  and  have  mostly  been  withdrawn  from 
circulation,  for  counterfeiters  always  select  bills  that  are 
most  generally  in  circulation  to  counterfeit,  because  such 
notes  are  liable  to  be  received  without  suspicion,  and 
therefore  with  the  least  inspection,  and  also  because 
they  can  have  longer  time  in  which  to  work  off  their  notes 
before  the  genuine  are  withdrawn  from  circulation. 

Of  the  Greenbacks,  and  Greenback  National  Currency 
Notes,  (bearing  pointed  seal)  all  denominations  have  been 
counterfeited  excepting  the  $500  Greenback  and  the  $500 
and  $1,000  National  Currency  Notes  (bearing  pointed 
seal) ;  and  yet,  there  is  no  probability  of  there  being  a  new 
counterfeit  made  on  these  notes  for  the  reason  that  they, 
too,  have  been  nearly  all  withdrawn  from  circulation.  It  is 
worthy  of  note  that  the  Government  has  not  only  gone  to 


the  greatest  expense  in  securing  for  the  people  of  the 
United  States  perfect  safe-guards  to  enable  anyone  who 
takes  the  care  to  familiarize  himself  with  them,  to  save 
himself  from  loss  by  imposition;  but  also  to  the  end  that  our 
circulating  medium  be  maintained  pure,  has  consistently 
followed  the  policy  of  not  issuing  any  more  genuine 
notes  of  any  particular  design  that  has  been  successfully 
counterfeited.  This  policy  is  not  only  wise,  but 
generous,  and  exhibits  in  clear  light  the  watchfulness  of 
our  Government  officials  for  the  welfare  of  the  entire 
people,  no  step  remaining  untaken  to  keep  pure  our 
circulating  medium. 

VARIOUS  DESIGNS  FOUND  ON  OUR  PAPER  CURRENCY. 

A  genuine  bill  or  note  is  an  impression  on  paper  made 
from  a  steel  or  copper  plate  produced  by  lawful  authority. 
These  plates  consist  of  various  designs  arranged  in 
various  patterns  so  as  to  represent :  (i).  By  what 
authority  the  note  is  issued:  (2).  For  what  amount  it  is 
to  be  current.  (3).  The  date  of  its  issue.  (4).  Elements 
to  identify  each  individual  note.  (5).  Elements  to 
identify  it  from  all  imitations,  etc.,  etc. 

These  various  designs  are  arranged  on  two  plates. 
One  is  employed  to  produce  the  face,  and  the  other  to 
produce  the  back  of  the  note.  These  completed  plates 
are  made  up  of  all  the  designs  appearing  thereon  from 
original  separate  plates  for  each  different  design,  which 
have  been  engraved  separately,  either  by  special  artists, 
who  stand  at  the  head  of  their  special  calling,  or  by 
means  of  machines  that  are  both  expensive  and  difficult 


II 

to  be  procured  only  by  honorable  parties.  These  designs 
are  in  general  arranged  so  as  to  produce :  (i).  The 
margins  of  the  note,  and  (2).  The  body  of  the  note. 
The  margins  are  made  up  of  various  designs,  many  of 
which  are  frequently  duplicated,  viz  : 

Figures,  letters,  words,  lathe  work  and  ornamental 
designs  in  the  shape  of  flowers,  leaves  or  other  embel- 
lishments. 

The  body  of  the  plate  is  more  or  less  covered  with  the 
general  lettering  of  the  note,  and  the  shading  of  these 
letters,  lathe  work,  artistic  engravings,  numbers  of  vari- 
ous kinds,  seal,  signatures,  dates,  series  and  other 
designs  too  numerous  and  varied  to  be  mentioned.  The 
lettering  in  the  descriptive  matter  consists  of  white  or 
black  letters,  or  white  letters  with  other  designs  engraved 
thereon. 

The  panel  principle  is  very  frequently  employed  in 
making  up  the  form  of  the  note.  These  panels  are  open 
or  closed.  The  open  panels  stand  out  in  bold  relief  and 
are  usually  found  resting  on  other  designs,  as  the  solid 
print  in  the  lathe  work.  The  enclosed  panels  are  of  a 
great  variety  of  designs,  and  may  have  background 
made  up  of  ruled,  straight  or  curved  lines,  drawn  with 
unerring  accuracy  by  various  mechanical  processes. 
They  also  may  or  may  not  be  surrounded  by  other 
embellishments,  as  is  frequently  the  case  in  those  panels 
upon  which  the  serial  numbers  are  printed. 


CHAPTER  II 

DIFFERENT    KINDS    OF    COUNTERFEIT    PAPER    CURRENCY. 

All  of  the  different  varieties  of  counterfeit  paper  money 
are  known  and  recognized  as  belonging  to  one  of  four 
classes,  viz  : — 

(i).  Counterfeit  Notes.  (2).  Spurious  Notes.  (3). 
Altered  Notes.  (4).  Fraudulent  Notes. 

This  classification  has  reference  to  the  nature  of  the 
issue  in  regard  to  the  kind  of  a  counterfeit  it  purports 
to  be.  When  a  note  is  made  purporting  to  be  a  fac- 
simile of  some  existing  genuine  note,  it  is  then  termed 
"A  Counterfeit." 

When  a  note  is  made  of  a  design  not  like  any  existing 
genuine  note,  it  is  called  a  "Spurious  Note."  When  a 
counterfeit  or  a  spurious  note  has  been  changed,  or  has 
been  printed  from  a  plate  that  has  been  changed  so  as  to 
indicate  that  it  is  a  note  of  some  other  nature  than  that 
on  which  it  was  originally  made  to  represent,  it  is  called 
a  "Changed"  or  "Altered"  note. 

When  a  genuine  note  has  been  changed  so  as  not  to 
represent  its  lawful  amount,  it  is  called  an  "Altered," 
"Raised"  or  "Pieced"  note,  according  to  the  manner  in 
which  it  has  been  changed. 

When  a  National  Currency  note  has  been  stolen,  and 
put  into  circulation  before  the  signatures  of  the  proper 
bank  officers  have  been  lawfully  placed  thereon,  it  is 
called  a  "Stolen"  note;  if  said  signatures  have  been 


13 

placed  thereon  by  unlawful  authority  after  they  have 
been  stolen,  it  is  called  a  "Forged"  or  "Stolen"  note. 

All  altered,  raised,  pieced,  stolen  or  forged  notes  are 
called  "Fraudulent  Notes." 

Counterfeit  paper  money  is  also  known  by  the  process 
by  which  it  has  been  manufactured,  namely  ; 

(i).  Steel  Engravings.  (2).  Copper  Plate  Engravings. 
(3).  Stone  Impressions.  (4).  Tin  Plate  Impressions. 
(5).  Wood  Engravings  or  Wood  Cuts.  (6).  Photo- 
graphs. (7).  Electro-Photographs.  (8).  Pen  and  Ink 
Counterfeits.  (9).  Altered  Notes  and  (10).  Stolen 
Notes. 

Of  these  counterfeits,  the  Steel  Engravings,  the  Copper 
Plate  Engravings  and  the  impressions  from  stone  are  the 
most  dangerous.  The  Altered,  Wood-Cut,  Photograph, 
Electro- Photograph  and  Pen  and  Ink  productions  need 
simply  ordinary  care  to  detect  them,  while  the  stolen 
notes  must  be  memorized  to  insure  protection.  Some 
persons  have  been  unduly  alarmed  by  the  number  of 
photographed  counterfeits  enumerated  in  Counterfeit 
Reporters,  as  by  photography  only  white  and  dark  colors 
are  taken,  and  although  the  black  engravings  can  be 
accurately  taken,  all  other  colors  are  taken  dark,  and 
must  be  retouched  by  brush  or  reproduced  from  engrav- 
ings. This  retouching  is  so  poorly  done  that  they 
ought  not  to  deceive  any  one  who  has  a  good  idea  of  the 
high  standard  of  artistic  perfection  found  on  all  genuine 
notes.  The  texture  of  the  paper  and  the  want  of  fiber 
also  condemn  these  counterfeits., 


FUNDAMENTAL  PRINCIPLES. 


1.  Texture  of  Paper. 

2.  Localized  Fibre. 

3.  Silk  Fibre. 

4.  Color  of  Paper. 

5.  Color  of  Inks  in  Treasury  and  Bank  Numbers. 

6.  Lathe  Work. 

7.  Shading  of  Letters. 

8.  Artistic  Engraving. 

1.  Portraits. 

2.  Drapery. 

3.  Perspective. 

4.  Background. 

5.  Ornamental  Work. 

6.  Solid  Print. 

9.  Duplicated  Designs. 
10.  General  Appearance. 

CHAPTER  III. 

FUNDAMENTAL    PRINCIPLES. 

SECTION  i. — TEXTURE  OF  PAPER. 

The  foundation  of  all  of  the  Government  securities 
on  our  paper  currenc)',  is  the  paper  upon  which  the 
genuine  is  printed. 

The   genuine   paper  is   of   a   tough,   elastic,   durable 


15 

"texture"  ;  having  usually  a  smooth,  hard  surface  finish, 
and  is  best  adapted  to  receive  the  various  impressions 
printed  thereon.  Owing  to  the  texture  of  the  genuine 
paper,  good  notes  ought  not  to  have  a  tendency  to  be 
brittle,  or  to  break  in  straight  lines  at  right  angles  with 
the  length  of  the  note ;  and  they  never  do  so  unless 
folded  for  a  long-  time  or  being  heavily  creased. 

In  those  genuine  notes  in  which  are  found  the  parallel 
silk  thread  running  lengthwise  through  them,  the  texture 
of  the  paper  is  so  weakened  that  they  have  a  tendency 
to  tear  in  the  line  of  these  cords.  Therefore,  when  a 
note  shows  evidence  of  being  brittle,  breaking  at  right 
angle  with  its  length,  it  is  a  very  suspicious  fact  and 
such  a  note  should  invariably  be  proven  to  be  genuine 
by  other  tests  before  accepting  it :  whereas,  the  fact  of  a 
note  tearing  along  the  line  of  the  silk  thread  forms  a 
presumption  in  favor  of  instead  of  against  the  bill. 
The  paper  used  by  counterfeiters  is  usually  of  a  very 
inferior  texture  and  is  always  of  a  poorer  quality  to  that 
used  by  the  Government.  Many  counterfeits  are  printed 
on  paper  little  better  than  blotting  paper,  of  so  loose  a 
texture  that  when  folded  they  break  readily,  while  others 
approach  nearer  to  the  fine  finish  of  the  genuine.  The 
texture  of  the  genuine  paper  and  the  "distinctive  quali- 
ities"  of  the  paper  employed  in  printing  genuine  notes 
will  ever  be  among  the  chief  safe -guards  that  can  be 
secured  to  assist  in  identifying  the  good  and  the  detection 
of  all  counterfeits. 


i6 

SECTION  2. — LOCALIZED  FIBER. 

If  a  "Localized  Fiber"  note  be  held  up  to  the  light  in 
such  a  way  as  to  permit  one  to  look  through  it,  he  will 
discover  a  great  many  small  fibers  or  substances  resem- 
bling hair  or  finely  cut  straw. 

On  more  careful  examination  it  will  be  discovered  that 
these  fibers  are  of  red  and  blue  colors,  and  that  the  blue 
greatly  predominate,  apparently  a  thousand  to  one. 

This  fiber  is  a  colored  substance  called  jute,  and  was 
put  into  certain  paper  that  was  formerly  used  in  printing 
government  securities,  the  process  for  the  manufacture  of 
which  is  owned  by  the  government,  and  a  heavy  penalty 
is  imposed  on  any  one  who  endeavors  even  to  imitate 
it. 

This  "Jute  Fiber"  appears  more  abundantly  in  certain 
sections  of  the  note,  either  lengthwise  or  across  the  bill, 
giving  rise  to  the  term  by  which  it  is  most  commonly 
known  as  "Localized  Fiber";  and  the  blue  color 
so  greatly  predominates  over  the  red,  it  gives  to  the  bill 
a  blueish  localized  tint,  more  or  less  plainly  marked  as  it 
lies  near  the  surface  either  on  the  back  or  face  of  the 
note. 

This  '  'Jute  Fibery  paper  was  used  : 

(i).  In  some  Fractional  Currency  notes.  (2).  In  a 
few  of  the  National  Currency  having  pointed  seal.  (3). 
In  Treasury  notes  printed  prior  to  the  series  of  1880. 
(4).  In  National  Currency  notes  having  red,  scalloped 
seal,  and  "Series  of  1875,"  in  which  the  silk-fibered 
paper  was  not  used. 

This    jute  fiber  was  fairly  well  imitated  on  the  $500 


Treasury   note,    series   of    1869,    bearing  J.  Q.  Adams'  . 
portrait,  in  which  the  material  used  by  the  counterfeiter 
seems  too  coarse  and  the  red  color  predominates. 

It  has  been  most  nearly  imitated  on  the  "Smith  Plate," 
$100  National  Currency  counterfeit,  run  off  among 
others  on  the  Pittsburgh  National  Bank  of  Commerce,  of 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  which  was  such  a  succeesful  imitation 
that  the  Government  abandoned  this  "Jute  Fibered" 
paper  and  adopted  the  silk  fibre  paper  which  will  be 
explained  in  the  next  section. 

The  most  frequent  way  in  which  this  localized  fiber 
test  has  been  attempted  to  be  imitated  is  by  printed 
marks  in  the  locality  where  the  genuine  jute  fibers  should 
appear. 

SECTION  3. — SILK  FIBER. 

The  government  abandoned  the  use  of  the  jute  to  adopt 
an  improved  quality  known  as  the  "Silk  Fibered"  paper. 
If  a  silk-fibered  note  be  held  up  to  the  light,  so  as  to 
enable  one  to  look  through  it,  he  will  notice  running 
lengthwise  across  the  bill  either  one  or  two  silk  threads 
either  of  a  red  or  blue  color;;  while  in  some  specimens 
there  will  also  be  observed  more  or  less  additional  frag- 
ments of  silk  scattered  promiscuously  through  the  paper. 
There  is  no  evidence  of  predomination  in  the  red  or  blue 
when  the  silk  fiber  is  used.  The  silk-fibered  paper  was 
used  by  the  government :  (i).  In  printing  all  Treasury 
notes  that  have  been  printed  and  issued  since  the  series 
of  1880. 

(2).  Many  Treasury  notes  bearing  date  previous  to 
1880  will  be  found  printed  on  silk-fibered  paper,  for  the 


i8 

reason  that  the  old  plates  in  many  instances  have  not 
been  replaced  with  those  bearing  more  recent  dates. 
Should  you,  therefore,  find  a  note  bearing  series  of 
1878,  for  instance,  with  silk-fibered  paper,  it  is  what 
you  are  hereby  cautioned  to  expect.  (3).  This  silk- 
fibered  paper  was  also  used  in  printing  all  National 
Currency  notes  having  brown  backs.  (4).  And  on 
many  N.  C.  having  green  backs  and  bearing  red,  scal- 
loped seal,  in  which  the  jute  fibre  was  not  used. 

This  test  has  not  been  successfully  imitated.  The 
imitations  found  on  the  counterfeits  that  have  come  to 
our  notice  have  been  few  and  readily  detected. 

On  $i,  $2,  $5  and  $10  Silver  Certificates,  and  on  $10 
Brownback  National  Currency  Notes  run  off  on  the  Third 
National  Bank  of  Cincinnati,  O.,  and  the  Germania  Na- 
tional Bank  of  New  Orleans,  La.,  that  we  have  examined, 
the  imitations  have  been  made  : 

1.  By  a   crease   that   is   made  to  deceive  the  inex- 
perienced only. 

2.  By  a  dimly  printed  line  running  across  the  bill. 

3.  By  a  deeply  printed  line  running  across  the  bill 
that  colors  the  paper  and  stains  it. 

4.  On  the  "Japanese"  $2  counterfeit  Silver  Certificate, 
Department  Series,    1886,   there  seems  to  have  been  an 
attempt  made  to  put  into  the  texture  of  the  paper  some- 
thing that  closely  resembles  the  silk  thread.     However, 
I  have  been  properly  informed  that  the  government  is 
now  engaged  in  procuring  additional  security  for  money 
handlers  to  be  first  used  in  printing  a  new  $2  Silver 
Certificate  with  Mr.  Windom's  portrait  thereon,  to  take 


19 

the  place  of  the  Hancock  $2,  which  they  are  about  to 
retire.  This  is  the  fixed  policy  of  the  government, 
namely,  that  whenever  a  dangerous  counterfeit  has  made 
its  appearance  that  closely  resembles  any  of  the  govern- 
ment safe-guards,  to  make  new  designs  for  that  particular 
denomination  or  issue,  or  to  adopt  new  and  improved 
distinctive  quality  of  paper  for  future  issues. 

SECTION  4. — COLOR  OF  PAPER. 

All  genuine  bills  are  of  a  clear  white  color  when  new 
(excepting  those  printed  on  distinctive  colored  paper)  of 
a  buff  or  ecru  color  when  old.  When  soiled,  genuine 
notes  are  nearly  always  soiled  in  spots,  for  the  reason 
that  they  are  accidentally  soiled. 

Counterfeit  notes  are  very  seldom,  if  ever,  uttered 
when  clear  white,  for  the  obvious  reason  that  they  know 
wherein  their  notes  are  defective,  and  should  they  issue 
their  notes  unsoiled  the  defects  would  be  quickly  noticed 
by  an  ordinary  judge  of  engraving,  and  thus  lead  to  their 
arrest ;  therefore  the  counterfeiter,  or  more  properly 
speaking,  the  ' '  Shover  of  the  Queer ' '  seldom  ever  passes 
his  bills  new,  but  with  great  skill  and  care  he  gives  to 
his  notes  a  uniform,  old  or  soiled  appearance,  by  satu- 
rating them  in  glycerine,  nicotine,  coffee  or  tan-bark 
juice.  This  gives  an  appearance  of  honest  age  or  abuse 
to  the  note,  and  tends  greatly  to  cover  up,  obscure  and 
lessen  the  striking  defects  in  the  counterfeiter's  work, 
and  when  passed  for  the  first  time  these  counterfeit  notes 
often  have  the  appearance  of  having  passed  and  re-passed 
until  nearly  ready  for  redemption.  The  counterfeiters 


are  aware  of  the  unreasonable  yet  almost  universally 
entertained  prejudice  against  new  and  in  favor  of  old  or 
worn  notes,  and  use  it  to  their  nefarious  advantage. 

The  fact  of  a  bill  being  pure  white  is  nearly  a  positive 
evidence  of  its  genuineness,  while  a  glycerine,  nicotine, 
tan-bark,  coffee  or  gray  color  of  paper  should  give  rise  to 
a  reasonable  suspicion  against  the  bill.  Again,  a  rich, 
clear  yellow,  cream,  ecru  hue  when  a  note  is  old  is  very 
much  in  favor  of  its  being  genuine,  and  has  not  been 
perfectly  represented  in  any  counterfeit  bill  that  has  come 
to  my  notice. 

SECTION  5. — INKS  IN  TREASURY  AND  BANK  NUMBERS. 

The  inks  used  in  printing  the  serial  numbers  on  genu- 
ine money  are  of  three  colors:  ( i)  Red,  on  all  three  issues; 
(2)  Blue,  on  last  two  issues  ;  (3)  Brown,  on  some  of  the 
Gold  Certificates,  others  being  numbered  in  blue. 

These  several  inks  are  manufactured  expressly  for  the 
government's  use,  and  are  very  thin,  of  the  very  best 
quality  and  best  adapted  for  numbering  ;  while  they  are 
very  difficult  to  be  obtained  by  counterfeiters,  and  on 
account  of  their  qualities  are  not  suited  to  be  used  on 
the  paper  employed  by  counterfeiters.  The  red  ink 
forms  the  most  reliable  safe-guard,  and  has  never  been 
perfectly  imitated.  The  blue  ink  has  been  more  perfectly 
imitated,  is  not  so  reliable  nor  so  indelible,  and  the  brown 
ink  has  not  as  yet  been  attempted  to  be  counterfeited. 
The  genuine  inks  are  very  thin,  and  under  the  pressure 
used  are  forced  into  the  body  of  the  genuine  paper,  this 


quality  of  being  imbedded  below   the  surface  of  the 
paper  being  a  marked  characteristic  of  the  genuine. 

With  age  the  genuine  red  ink  in  the  serial  numbers  does 
not  fade,  crack  or  peel  off,  but,  on  the  contrary,  intensifies. 
There  are  several  shades  of  red  ink  used  in  printing  the 
numbers  in  genuine  currency.  In  the  Greenbacks,  the 
deepest  vermil  ion  or  blood-red  was  employed,  having  a 
glossy  deepness  that  is  foreign  to  most  counterfeits. 
The  Greenbacks  were  all  numbered  in  round  type,  and 
in  judging  the  genuinesss  of  these  notes,  it  is  the  uni- 
formity, intensity  and  the  depression  of  the  numbers  that 
should  be  considered,  together  with  the  quality  of  type 
employed,  and. not  uniformity  of  size  or  position  of  the 
individual  figures,  as  they  sometimes  vary  in  the  genuine. 
The  red  ink  used  in  printing  the  National  Currency  was 
a  shade  heavier  or  deeper  than  that  employed  on  the 
Greenbacks ;  frequently  a  marked  difference  can  be 
noticed  in  the  shade  of  the  inks  in  the  Treasury  number 
and  that  used  in  the  Bank  number  in  the  same  specimen, 
the  bank  number  being  deeper  or  darker.  The  numbers 
on  the  Treasury  notes  are  printed  in  the  heaviest  type, 
and  the  ink,  therefore,  appears  the  deepest  of  all  issues  ; 
and  some  of  these  are  so  heavy  that  they  occasionally 
appear  somewhat  upon  the  surface,  but  on  careful  exam- 
ation  this  will  be  seen  to  be  appearance  only.  The  red 
ink  used  in  printing  the  numbers  on  Counterfeit  notes  is 
usually  surface  ink,  on  account  of  the  fact  that  they 
cannot  employ  the  thin  ink  of  the  genuine  on  account 
of  the  inferior  texture  of  their  paper  ;  their  ink  being 
printed  upon  the  surface  is  exposed  to  atmospheric  in- 


fluence,  and  cracks  and  peels  off  and  fades  away  instead 
of  intensifying  with  age.  The  best  and  only  respectable 
imitations  of  the  red  inks  in  numbering  on  counterfeits 
are  on  $20,  $50  and  $1000  Greenbacks,  and  on  $5,  $10, 
$20,  $50  and  $100  Greenback  National  Currency  Notes 
having  pointed  seal,  and  the  $100  Greenback  National 
Currency  having  scalloped  seal. 

The  blue  ink  was  not  used  on  the  Greenbacks,  there- 
fore, the  lighter  shade  of  the  blue  appeared  on  the 
National  Currency  and  a  shade  deeper  on  the  Treasury 
Notes.  The  blue  ink  on  the  National  Currency  having 
pointed  seal  was  not  reliable,  as  in  the  genuine  it  some- 
times changes  to  a  brown,  green,  or  black.  O:i  such 
National  Currency  Notes  as  bore  a  pointed  seal  where  the 
blue  was  used  only  in  the  Treasury  Number,  the  blue  not 
being  reliable  should  be  disregarded  as  to  the  color,  and 
the  red  ink  only  should  be  examined.  In  such  cases, 
however,  the  blue  can  be  examined  in  reference  to  the 
quality  of  being  depressed  below  the  surface. 

The  Treasury  number  is  that  found  in  the  upper  right 
hand  portion  of  all  National  Currency  Notes  excepting 
on  $i  and  $2,  on  which  it  is  printed  across  the  left  end  of 
face.  The  bank  number  is  that  printed  in  lower  left 
hand  portion  of  face  excepting  on  $i  and  $2,  in  which  it 
is  printed  in  the  place  occupied  on  other  notes  by  the 
Treasury  Number. 

On  the  $5  Brownbick  National  Currency  Notes  the 
blue  ink  only  was  used,  and  on  the  Treasury  Notes  the 
blue  as  well  as  the  red  was  employed  in  printing  both 
numbers,  and  was  supposed  to  be  reliable.  On  the  $50 


23 

Treasury  Note,  series  1869,  bearing  Henry  Clay's  por- 
trait, there  has  been  one  of  the  most  successful  counter- 
feits ever  issued.  On  this  counterfeit,  however,  the  ink 
appears  black  or  a  bluish  black  instead  of  the  deep 
indigo  blue  that  is  on  the  genuine.  On  the  $i,  $2  and 
$5  of  the  Silver  Certificates,  the  blue  ink  has  been  most 
successfully  imitated,  so  much  so  that  the  government, 
I  understand,  will  soon  discontinue  the  blue  ink  in  num- 
bering all  future  issues.  They  would  be  wise  in  doing  so. 

SECTION  6. — SHADING  OF  LETTERS. 

The  shading  of  letters  consists  of  very  fine,  evenly 
drawn  lines  and  spaces.  The  lines  are  exactly  the  same 
in  size,  precisely  the  same  distance  one  from  the  other, 
parallel  and  uniform  throughout. 

The  shading  of  letters  on  genuine  money  has  a  ten- 
dency to  fade  away  or  grow  indistinct  with  age  ;  while 
this  tendency  is  less  noticeable  in  most  counterfeits,  their 
shading  having  a  tendency  to  hold  their  own.  This 
tendency  of  the  shading  of  the  letters  to  fade  away  with 
age  in  the  genuine  seems  to  be  directly  in  proportion  to 
the  amount  of  ink  used  in  printing,  and  therefore  is  most 
noticeable  on  the  Greenbacks,  less  on  the  National  Cur- 
rency Notes  and  least  on  the  Treasury  Notes. 

The  fact  of  the  shading  of  letters  having  a  tendency  to 
fade  away  with  age  in  the  genuine,  is  partly  accounted 
for  by  the  fact  of  the  color  of  the  paper  in  the  genuine 
changing  with  age  from  a  pure  white  when  new,  to  an 
ecru,  buff  or  "distinctive  color"  as  they  grow  older, 
while  the  counterfeits  do  not,  for  the  reason  of  the 


24 

abused  or  "doctored  condition"  in  which  they  are  first 
uttered.  Examine  the  shading  wherever  found,  but 
principally  around  the  most  prominent  words  on  the  bill, 
excepting  : 

1.  On  $5  Greenback  National  Currency  note,  White's 
plate,  run   off  on   the   First   National   Bank   of  North 
Hampton,  Mass.,  the  Merchants  National  Bank,  of  New 
Bedford,    Mass.,   and  the   Hampden  National   Bank,   of 
Westfield,  Mass.,  where  it  should   be  examined  beneath 
the  words  "Five  Dollars,"  and  it  will  be  found  uniform 
in  the  genuine,  while  wedge-shape  in  the  counterfeit,  the 
lines  beneath  the  word  "Dollars"  being  farther  separated 
one   from   the   other  than   they   are  beneath  the  word 
"Five." 

2.  On    $10    Greenback    National     Currency    notes, 
having  pointed  seal,  in  New  York,  one  should  look  for 
the  shading  beneath  the  words    "National  Currency" 
for  the  most  dangerous  counterfeit  $10  N.  C.  ever  issued 
was  run  off  on  banks  in  this  state,   and  the  lower  line 
beneath  the  word  "Currency"  is  fully  twice  as  wide  as 
the  other  lines.     The  shading   of  the  letters  was  made 
lightest  on  the  Greenbacks,  a  shade  darker  on  the  Nat- 
ional Currency  notes  and  the  darkest  of  all  on  the  Treasury 
notes,   excepting  on  $20  on  the   Greenback  issue  which 
is  nearly  as  dark  as  the  Treasury  notes.    However,  owing 
to  the  mode  of  wiping  the  plates  while  printing  genuine 
notes,  there  will  be  noticed  quite   a  variety    in  the  shade 
of  the  shading  on  different  specimens  of  the  same  denom- 
ination and  issue.     This  should   be  carefully  noted  and 
always  borne  in  mind,*  but  as  the  shading  is  printed  with 


25 

the  same  impression  that  prints  the  other  dark  engravings, 
the  fact  of  whether  the  darkness  of  the  shading  is  owing 
to  the  lack  of  care  on  the  part  of  the  printer,  can  be 
proven  by  testing  the  lights  and  shades  of  other  designs. 
CAUTION: — On  some  genuine  $5  Greenback  National 
Currency  notes  there  will  be  noticed  a  defect  beneath 
the  words  "National  Currency,"  the  lower  line  being 
larger  than  the  rest.  This  plate  was  accepted,  however, 
and  many  notes  were  printed  on  it  before  a  new  plate  was 
made  and  this  defect  corrected. 

SECTION  7. — L,ATHE  WORK. 

Lathe  work  should  be  examined  wherever  found,  but 
principally  around  the  denominational  counters,  and 
consists  of  five  elements  : 

1.  Endless  curved  lines  of  the  same  size. 

2.  Regular  indentations  between  the  curves  along  the 
outer  border. 

3.  Similar  spaces  between  similar  lines  being  precisely 
the  same  in  size. 

4.  A  marked  perspective. 

5.  Secondary  lines  or  designs  wherever  found  must 
appear  as  secondary  lines,  and  not  as  primary  lines,  as 
in  most  counterfeits. 

No  allowance  whatever  should  be  given  for  age  where 
the  lathe  work  is  printed  on  a  black  background,  unless 
erased  or  defaced  by  apparent  mutilation.  Where  the 
lathe  work  is  printed  on  a  green  background  great 
allowance  should  be  given  for  age,  for  the  reason  that 
the  moisture  in  the  atmosphere  seems  to  melt  the  genuine 


26 

green,  or  cause  it  to  "flow  or  blur,"  whereas  the  green 
used  by  counterfeiters  seems  to  better  hold  its  own  and 
remain  steadfast,  exhibiting  their  irregularities  more  or 
less  distinctly.  This  principle  of  the  lathe  work  is  of 
great  value  to  aid  in  the  detection  of  counterfeit  notes, 
or  to  identify  the  genuine  after  suspicion  has  been  once 
aroused.  The  lathe  work  is  produced  by  means  of  the 
lathe  machine,  that  does  its  work  with  unerring  accuracy, 
which  machine  is  so  constructed  that  duplicate  en- 
gravings of  the  same  design  cannot  be  produced  even 
by  the  government,  save  by  means  of  the  transfer 
machine.  The  counterfeiter  usually  does  this  lathe  work 
by  hand,  and  whenever  so  produced,  his  work  will  cer- 
tainly fail  in  one  or  more  of  the  above  elements,  and 
always  in  the  similar  sized  spaces,  the  perspective  and 
the  secondary  designs. 

Many  counterfeits  utterly  fail  in  all  five  of  the  essen- 
tial elements  of  genuine  lathe  work  ;  some  have  the 
endless  curves  almost  perfect,  and  others  have  the  inden- 
tations nicely  imitated,  but  unless  the  lathe  work  is  from 
a  genuine  plate  or  from  a  photograph  they  must  always 
fail  in  all  of  the  last  three  elements  mentioned  above. 

Sometimes  genuine  lathe  work,  or  work  approaching 
very  nearly  the  appearance  of  the  genuine,  is  found  on 
counterfeit  notes,  owing  to  the  fact  of  stolen  impressions 
or  sections  of  the  genuine  plates.  This,  however,  has 
never  happened  only  in  a  very  few  instances.  The  best 
representations  of  the  lathe  principle  found  on  counter- 
feits, and  those  which  are  liable  to  deceive,  are  : 

(i).     On  backs  of  $50  and  $100  of  the  Compound  In- 


27 

terest  Notes.  (2).  On  back  of  "D"  plate  $10  Green- 
back bearing  Abraham  Lincoln's  portrait.  (3).  On 
"A,"  "B,"  "C"  and  l'D"  plates  of  the  $1000  Green- 
backs bearing  Robert  Morris'  portrait.  (4).  On  "A" 
plate  $100  Greenback  National  Currency  Note.  (5). 
On  "A,"  "B,"  "C"  and  "D"  plates  of  the  $500  Treas- 
ury Note,  series  1869,  bearing  J.  Q.  Adams'  portrait. 
(6).  On  $2  Silver  Certificates  Department  Series  1886, 
bearing  General  Hancock's  portrait. 

SECTION  8. — ARTISTIC  ENGRAVING. 

Artistic  engraving  consists  principally  of  six  elements  : 

i..  Portraits. 

2.  Drapery. 

3.  Perspective. 

4.  Background. 

5.  Ornamental  Work. 

6.  Solid  Print. 

I .     PORTRAITS. 

Every  portrait  found  on  genuine  paper  money  should 
be  life-like,  full  of  expression  and  natural  in  every  fea- 
ture, viz  : 

Eyes,  mouth,  nose,  chin,  ear,  hair,  eyebrows,  whiskers 
and  flesh  test  wherever  the  flesh  is  exposed. 

The  eyes  must  be  clear,  natural  and  expressive,  not 
having  a  dead,  dull  appearance,  more  like  black  dots,  as 
is  frequently  the  case  in  counterfeits.  The  mouth 
should  be  very  natural,  expressing  the  individuality  of 
the  character  represented. 


28 

The  nose,  chin  and  ears  appear  true  to  nature,  and 
are  ofttimes  rare  specimens  of  artistic  skill. 

The  hair,  eyebrows  and  the  whiskers,  if  any  are  repre- 
sented, are  executed  with  such  delicate  and  exquisite 
taste  and  skill  that  these  alone  lead  to  the  detection 
of  nearly  every  counterfeit  note  ever  issued. 

The  "  Lights  and  Shades,"  that  so  nicely  blend  into 
the  natural  appearance  of  real  living  persons  under  the 
skillful  hand  of  the  first-class  special  artists  employed  by 
the  government,  are  so  poorly  copied  by  the  "all-around" 
engraver,  that  the  counterfeiter  is  compelled  to  be,  that 
their  usual  effect  is  simply  shocking  to  the  skillful  eye  ; 
while  their  best  efforts  sink  into  plainly  defective  copies 
where  the  test  of  the  Lights  and  Shades  is  applied.  The 
Flesh  Test  consisting  of  one  or  more  of  several  elements  ; 
lines,  dots,  dashes,  open  diamonds  and  open  diamonds 
with  a  dot  or  dash  in  the  center,  so  worked  in  and  blend- 
ed that  the  result  is  the  natural  expression  of  the  human 
face  ;  purity  and  intelligence  being  marked  characteristics 
of  genuine  portraits. 

These  several  elements  above  mentioned  are  the  magic 
elements  that  the  intelligent  and  true  artists  combine  by 
their  own  unfettered  genius  to  produce  the  ideal  and  sub- 
lime expressions  of  the  human  face.  No  vile  wretch  of  a 
counterfeiter  has  the  moral  element  of  character  that  is 
essential  to  produce  pure,  elevated,  virtuous  expressions 
of  the  human  face.  This  idea  has  been  so  impressed  on 
my  mind  by  experience  that  it  is  worthy  of  record  that 
no  counterfeiter  ever  lived  who  produced  a  female  portrait 
with  the  pure  expression  found  in  the  genuine,  true  to 


29 

the  maxim  that  no  artist  can  ever  accomplish  anything 
above  or  superior  to  his  own  ideal.  The  tendency  of  the 
counterfeiter  to  unconsciously  give  expression  to  his  own 
sentiments  and  emotions  is  frequently  exhibited  in  the 
frightened,  unnatural  and  debased  expressions  of 
portraits  on  counterfeits.  President  Garfield's  portrait 
on  the  $5  Brownback  National  Currency  Note  illustrates 
in  a  fine  way  all  these  elements  of  the  Flash  Test.  In 
testing  the  expression  of  portraits  on  bills  that  are  some- 
what worn  it  is  often  best  to  hold  them  off  at  arms  length, 
when  the  true  impression  that  the  note  has  received  will 
be  apparent.  No  allowance  should  be  given  for  age  in  the 
expression  of  portraits  unless  covered  up  or  erased. 

2.       DRAPERY. 

The  Drapery  consists  of  various  materials  artistically 
represented  so  as  to  appear  true  to  life. 

The  ' '  Lights  and  Shades ' '  form  the  distinguishing 
characteristic  of  drapery  engraving.  Irregularity  in  the 
lines,  dots  or  dashes,  of  which  this  department  of  artistic 
engraving  is  composed,  or  the  slightest  deviation  in  the 
size,  distance  or  dimension  of  any  of  the  elements  repre- 
sented in  the  genuine  necessarily  produces  a  difference 
in  the  lights  and  shades,  which  a  person  perfectly  familiar 
with  the  genuine  readily  detects. 

It  is,  however,  worthy  of  remark  that  this  difference 
must  be  real  to  condemn,  as  in  many  genuine  notes, 
owing  to  the  process  of  wiping  the  plates  when  printed, 
these  lights  and  shades  vary  greatly  in  the  deepness  or 
darkness  of  the  impression  in  different  genuine  bills  of 


3° 

the  same  denomination,  which  fact  must  be  taken  into 
consideration  in  deciding  the  character  of  the  note  to- 
gether with  the  lights  and  shades. 

There  is  also  a  perspective  frequently  represented  in 
the  drapery  of  the  genuine  which  is  more  or  less  defective 
in  all  counterfeits.  This  perspective  is  most  noticeable 
where  folds  are  represented,  or  where  one  garment  is 
engraved  over  other  objects  partly  exposed. 

The  various  lights  and  shades  found  in  the  drapery  of 
the  genuine  should  be  thoroughly  studied,  and  the 
difference  manifested  by  light  and  dark  impressions  care- 
fully noted,  that  any  actual  variation  from  the  standard 
or  genuine  may  be  readily  noticed. 

3.  PERSPECTIVE. 

The  perspective  is  that  part  of  art  that  enables  the  true 
and  skillful  artist  to  cause  every  object  to  sustain  an 
apparent  natural  position  with  regard  to  the  background. 
The  genuine  portraits  and  engravings  seem  to  stand  out 
in  bold  relief.  There  is  no  blending  of  the  individual 
objects  represented  on  the  genuine  with  the  background. 
This  is  a  marked  characteristic  of  the  genuine  work,  and 
no  allowance  should  be  given  for  age  in  this  regard,  save 
by  reason  of  actual  apparent  mutilation  or  abuse. 

4.  BACKGROUND. 

There  are  a  great  variety  of  backgrounds  represented 
on  genuine  currency. 

i.  The  background  behind  portraits  or  vignettes  con- 
sists in  the  genuine,  of  lines,  dots  and  dashes  so  artistic- 


ally  drawn  or  combined    that   the   natural   background 
desired  is  correctly  represented. 

The  usual  background  behind  portraits  consists  ot  a 
double  set  of  straight  lines  accurately  drawn,  crossing  so 
as  to  form  checks,  and  giving  to  the  background  a 
gradual  descent  from  a  dark  to  a  lighter  shade.  When 
this  is  the  case,  all  imitations  fail  in  one  of  four 
ways. 

(i).    By  descending  too  abruptly  from  dark  to  light. 

(2).  By  having  only  one  set  of  lines  where  it  is  the 
lightest. 

(3).  By  approaching  a  total  mass  where  it  is  the 
darkest. 

(4).  By  having  irregularly  drawn  lines,  varying  in 
size,  distance,  or  being  broken. 

2.  Sky  backgrounds  are  made  to  appear  either  as  a 
clear  sky  or  more  or  less  cloudy,  and  in  either  case  the 
scene  is  represented  true  to  nature  in  the  genuine,  and 
always  more  or  less  defective  in  all  counterfeits  (other 
than  photographs),  they  having  irregularities  that  change 
or  destroy  the  uniformity  of  the  scene. 

5.    ORNAMENTAL  WORK. 

The  ornamental  work  about  portraits  along  the  border 
or  on  other  parts  of  the  genuine  note,  consisting  of 
flowers,  fruits,  leaves,  or  any  other  embellishments  what- 
ever, is  so  skillfully  engraved  by  the  various  special 
artists,  that  it  is  almost  impossible  for  them  to  produce 
an  exact  copy.  The  lights  and  shades  form  the  marked 
characteristic  of  the  ornamental  work.  The  ornamental 


32 

work  about  portraits  on  the  genuine  has  a  tendency  to 
fade  away  or  grow  indistinct  with  age  much  more  than 
in  the  counterfeit,  as  is  the  case  of  the  shading  of  the  letters 
previously  noticed.  Other  varieties  of  ornamental  work 
are  considered  elsewhere. 

6.    SOLID  PRINT. 

The  solid  print  or  imprint  consists  of  the  small,  solid 
letters  usually  found  in  the  margin  of  notes  or  in  panels 
separated  from  other  engravings.  This  lettering  is  done 
by  special  letter  artists,  who  engrave  them  with  absolute 
accuracy,  and  by  means  of  the  transfer  process  they  are 
duplicated  with  absolute  precision.  Every  detail  is 
executed  with  such  consummate  skill  that  none  but 
equally  expert  engravers  can  exactly  copy.  The  perfec- 
tion of  every  section  of  these  letters  is  mathematically 
accurate.  Each  letter  is  separate  and  perfect  in  and  of 
itself.  These  letters  are  usually  separated  by  hair-breadth 
spaces,  and  are  identically  the  same  in  height,  being 
always  on  a  straight,  uniform  base  line,  and  not  in  any 
way  irregular.  In  counterfeits  this  work  being  usually 
done  by  an  all-around  engraver,  more  or  less  striking 
irregularities  are  often  apparent.  This  irregularity  is 
exhibited  in  one  or  more  of  the  following  ways  : 

(i).  Imperfectly  formed  letters.  (2)  Irregular  spacing. 
(3).  Being  out  of  line.  (4).  By  actually  having  some 
of  the  letters  upside  down.  (5).  By  being  omitted 
altogether. 

Some  of  these  letters  are  so  very  minute  that  it  is  only 
by  means  of  a  good  magnifying  glass  that  they  can  be 


33 

clearly  seen,  but  it  is  not  often  that  a  counterfeit  is  issued 
that  so  close  an  examination  is  necessary  to  detect  its 
defects  in  some  of  the  general  principles  ;  in  fact,  no 
such  note  has  ever  come  to  our  notice,  and  we  have  seen 
specimens  of  all  dangerous  counterfeits  ever  put  into 
circulation  on  our  three  issues  of  currency. 

SECTION  9. — DUPLICATED  DESIGNS. 

By  means  of  the  transfer  machine,  exact  duplicates  of 
various  designs  are  multiplied  at  will  on  any  note.  This 
is  the  only  way  ever  yet  discovered  whereby  exact  dupli- 
cates of  engraving  can  be  produced. 

When  you  stop  to  think  that  you  never  have  nor  ever 
will  write  your  signature  twice  precisely  alike,  you  can 
readily  conceive  of  the  great  security  that  is  offered  by 
this  wonderful  process.  Wherever  duplicated  designs 
appear,  they  must  be  in  every  respect  exact  copies. 
This  principle  is  employed  in  forming  complicated  lathe 
designs  ;  in  causing  the  denomination  to  appear  in  many 
places,  so  as  to  make  the  process  of  altering  the  genuine 
of  a  lower  to  a  higher  denomination  more  difficult ;  in 
making  the  margins  consisting  of  various  duplicated 
designs,  and  wherever  duplicated  designs  appear. 

SECTION  10. — GENERAL,  APPEARANCE. 

What  is  the  general  appearance  ?  It  is  the  ' '  first 
impression  ' '  the  note  makes  on  the  mind.  This  impres- 
sion will  be  accurate  and  satisfy  the  demands  of  reason 
or  otherwise,  just  in  proportion  as  the  observer  has 
mastered  and  applies  all  the  elements  of  genuineness. 


34 

Many  notes  are  rejected  by  money-handlers  for  the 
reason,  as  they  say,  "that  they  don't  like  their  appear- 
ance." These  rejected  notes  are  believed  to  be  bad,  but 
if  asked  wherein  they  are  bad,  not  one  in  twenty  could 
tell  wherein  they  differ  from  other  notes  on  the  same 
issue  and  series,  or  on  the  same  bank  which  they  pro- 
nounce genuine  and  accept. 

Now,  in  most  instances  of  such  judgments  that  have 
come  to  our  notice,  we  have  found  them  to  be  correct, 
while  some  were  grievous  errors,  which  demonstrates  the 
truthfulness  of  the  proposition,  that  no  one  can  tell 
positively  that  one  of  two  objects  differs  from  the  other, 
without  at  the  same  time  knowing  wherein  they  differ, 
but  the  reason  why,  as  we  have  said,  that  the  majority 
of  these  decisions  are  found  to  be  correct,  lies  in  the  fact 
that  money-handlers,  by  long  experience  in  handling 
mostly  genuine  money,  have  unconsciously  become 
somewhat  familiar  with  the  general  appearance  of  good 
money,  so  without  having  made  a  careful  analysis  of, 
nor  becoming  familiar  with  the  various  safe-guards  in  an 
elementary  and  methodical  way,  prior  to  generalizing, 
they  have  secured  this  ability  to  generalize  only  ;  as  a 
person  would  learn  to  read  by  looking  at  and  learning 
the  words  only,  without  first  learning  the  primary 
elements  of  sounds  as  represented  in  the  individual 
letters.  Such  a  person  might  become  rapid,  but  not 
such  an  accurate  reader  as  he  might  have  become  by 
first  learning  the  element,  nor  could  he  give  a  reason  for 
pronouncing  words  spelled  differently  as  though  they 
were  spelled  alike.  The  general  appearance  is,  how- 


35 

ever,  the  main  point  that  one  at  the  counter  mostly 
employs.  It  is  the  united  effect  of  all  of  the  elements 
of  genuineness.  But  while  this  is  true,  is  it  not  better  to 
understand  why  you  decide  ? 

L,et  us  give  some  of  the  reasons  for  the  value  of  this 
the  greatest  of  all  securities. 

1.  When  one  has  become,  either  by  practical  in- 
struction or  by  individual  effort,  aided  by  long  experi- 
ence familiar  with  the  general  appearance  of  the  genuine, 
no  counterfeit  can  pass  him  without  exciting  suspicion. 

2.  After  suspicion  has  been  aroused,  after  one's  atten- 
tion has  been  attracted  to  the  suspicious  appearance  of  a 
bill,  the  real  danger  of  loss  from  imposition  is  past,  for 
then,  one  will  by  examination  become  satisfied  as  to  the 
character  of  the  bill  before  accepting  it.     After  suspicion 
has  been  excited,  if  the  note  is  taken  and  lost,  you  have 
only  yourself  to  blame  for  not  being  prudent  enough 
to  exercise  reasonable  care. 

ELEMENTS    QUICKLY   RECOGNIZED. 

We  have  seen  that  owing  to  the  superior  texture, 
genuine  paper  money  is  more  durable,  has  usually  a 
harder  surface,  and  does  not  have  such  a  tendency  to 
break  at  right  angles  with  the  length  of  the  note  as  the 
counterfeit.  These  qualities  of  the  texture  are  seen 
instantty. 

We  have  seen  that  counterfeits  are  seldom,  if  ever, 
issued  in  a  clean,  white  condition,  and  that  the  genuine 
notes  with  age  change  to  a  ' '  distinctive  color ' '  that  is 
more  or  less  wanting  in  counterfeits.  This  very  import- 


36 

ant  element  of  the  general  appearance  is  also  instantly 
recognized. 

We  have  also  seen  that  owing  to  the  poor  texture  ot 
paper  used  by  counterfeiters  and  to  the  way  they  print 
their  notes,  that  frequently  there  is  a  marked  contrast 
between  the  genuine  colors  in  the  numbers,  in  the  black 
engravings  or  other  impressions,  and  in  the  "  lights  and 
shades"  from  those  found  on  the  genuine,  which  is 
also  instantly  recognized  as  "something  wanting." 

The  expressions  of  the  portraits,  the  lights  and  shades 
in  drapery,  the  perspective  and  the  proper  shading  of  the 
letters  are  taken  in  at  the  same  sweeping  glance  across 
the  note,  and  if  the  bill  be  not  genuine,  a  "something 
wanting"  will  be  the  alarm  that  "the  first  impression  " 
or  "general  appearance  "  will  give. 

When  this  alarm  has  been  given,  suspicion  being 
aroused,  then  the  character  of  the  note  should  be  proven 
to  a  certainty  by  applying  the  principles  herein  explained, 
which  unitedly  will  lead  to  an  infallible  decision. 

CAUTION. 

Do  not  take  one  idea  or  one  principle  alone  as  your 
guide.  Never  depend  upon  the  examination  of  one  sec- 
tion of  the  bill,  but  look  it  all  over  unless  you  know 
that  your  first  impression  is  right. 

The  Lathe  Work  should  be  examined  in  respect  to  all 
five  of  its  elements,  and  unless  the  counter  be  from  a 
genuine  plate  some  or  all  of  the  five  elements  will  be 
found  defective. 

If  the  suspicious  note  be  one  that  should  be  printed  on 


37 

fibered  paper,  or  on  paper  having  some  other  '  'distinctive 
texture,"  or  on  paper  having  a  "distinctive  color,"  these 
various  characteristics  of  the  note  should  be  carefully 
noted.  If  the  suspicious  bill  is  thought  to  be  an  altered, 
raised,  pieced  or  stolen  note,  it  should  be  examined 
accordingly.  Lastly,  if  a  positive  knowledge  as  regards 
the  true  character  of  the  note  has  not  been  thusly  se- 
cured, application  should  be  made  of  the  "  Minor  rules" 
or  the  "Special  Points." 


MINOR  PRINCIPLES  OR  RULES. 


1 .  Inks  in  printing  Seals. 

2.  Inks  in  printing  Dark  Impressions. 

3.  Inks  in  printing  Green  Impressions. 

4.  Other  different  Colors  of  Inks  employed. 

5.  Altered  Notes. 

1.  By  Acids. 

2.  By  Erasure. 

3.  By  Inks  and  Dyes. 

4.  By  Splitting. 

5.  By  Piecing. 

6.  Charter  Numbers. 

7.  Character  of  Check  Letters. 

8.  Type  in  printing  Treasury  and  Bank  Numbers. 

9.  Signatures. 

10.  Stolen  National  Currency  Notes. 

1 1 .  Script  Lettering. 

12.  Background  of  Treasury  Numbers. 

13.  Feeling  of  Paper, 


CHAPTER    IV. 

MINOR    PRINCIPLES   OR    RULES. 

SECTION  i. — INKS  IN  SEALS. 

The  Great  Seal  of  the  United  States  Treasury  is  placed  on 
all  issues  of  our  paper  currency  as  the  finishing  act  of  print- 
ing prior  to  putting  them  into  circulation.  These  seals  are 
of  various  designs,  both  as  regards  size  and  the  ornamental 
characters  engraved  thereon.  Some  are  accompanied 
with  other  artistic  embellishments,  and  others  are  not. 
The  seals  are  printed  in  a  great  variety  of  colors  on 
different  issues  and  series,  and  indeed  on  different  speci- 
mens of  the  same  series  are  frequently  found  different 
seals  on  account  of  the  fact  that  the  note  bearing  some 
previous  variety  of  seal  has  been  successfully  counter- 
feited. On  some  notes  there  are  other  ornamental  designs 
printed  in  the  same  color,  or  in  colors  differing  from  that 
used  in  the  seal.  The  seals  were  intentionally  engraved 
in  such  distinct  characters,  yet,  at  the  same  time,  of  such 
complicated  design,  absolutely  perfect  in  every  detail, 
that  they  alone  form  such  a  remarkable  test  of  genuine- 
ness that  many  counterfeiters  have  utterly  failed  to  re- 
produce, while  on  some  specimens  of  the  "queer"  the 
seal  has  been  very  accurately  imitated.  The  inks 
used  in  printing  the  seal  is  not  of  the  same  quality  as 
that  used  in  printing  the  numbers,  and  yet  in  each 
instance  whatever  color  the  seal  is  printed  in  is  of  the 
deepest  dye.  If  red,  it  is  a  deep  red  ;  if  brown,  a  deep 
brown,  not  a  faded,  dead,  dull  color,  as  is  frequently  the 
case  in  counterfeits,. 


40 

In  the  genuine  the  seal  often  exhibits  a  tendency  to 
grow  uniformly  indistinct,  however,  specimens  are  not 
wanting  which  show  the  tendency  of  genuine  ink  to 
intensify  with  age.  In  the  examination  of  the  seal  every 
minute  detail  should  be  noticed,  the  slightest  actual 
deviation  from  the  standard  condemns  : 

(i).  In  the  various  characters  represented.  (2).  In 
the  relative  position  or  prominence  of  such  characters. 
(3).  In  reference  to  colors. 

The  notes  bearing  the  following  seals  have  been  most 
frequently  and  successfully  counterfeited. 

1.  Small  pointed  seal  used  on  the  Greenbacks  and 
first  series  of  National  Currency  Notes. 

2.  The  red  scalloped  seal  on  plate  "A"  $100  Green- 
back National   Currency   Notes  known  as  the   "Smith 
plate,"  and  the  brown  scalloped  seal  $10  Brownback  N.  C. 

3.  The  red  pointed   seal   on    $5    and   $10   Treasury 
Notes,  series  of  1875. 

3.  Large  red  seal  on  $50  and  $500  Treasury  Notes, 
series  of  1869. 

(4).  Small,  pointless  seal,  or  large,  brown  seal  on  $i, 
$2  and  $5  Silver  Certificates,  series  of  1886. 

In  examination  of  the  pointed  seal,  the  points  should  be 
accurately  defined  unless  the  seal  is  uniformly  indistinct. 
On  the  $500  Treasury  Note,  series  of  1869,  the  shield  in 
the  seal  is  entirely  too  prominent,  while  in  many  other 
counterfeits  the  seal  is  off  color  or  has  more  of  a  painty 
appearance,  as  in  the  $50  Treasury  Note,  series  of  1869, 
in  which  the  seal  is  of  a  faded  brick  color,  instead  of  a 
bright  cherry  red. 


SECTION  2. — INKS  IN  DARK  IMPRESSIONS. 

The  black  ink  used  in  printing  dark  engravings  is  of 
a  deep,  intense,  coal-black,  glossy  color,  and  where 
printed  in  "solid  black",  never  fades  or  grows  indistinct 
with  age,  as  is  frequently  the  case  with  counterfeits. 
Dark  engravings  not  a  "solid  body,"  however,  have  a 
remarkable  tendency  to  fade  away  or  grow  indistinct 
with  age  on  the  genuine,  and  this  tendency  seems  to  be 
directly  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  ink  used  at  the 
beginning. 

This  tendency  is  best  illustrated  in  the  principle  of  the 
shading  of  the  letters  and  in  the  ornamental  work  around 
portraits  where  the  genuine  grow  indistinct  in  a  marked 
degree,  while  in  most  counterfeits  such  engravings  have 
a  tendency  to  hold  their  own,  and  by  comparison 
actually  seem  to  grow  darker.  This  remarkabe  fact  is  to 
a  great  degree  owing  to  the  fact  of  the  genuine  paper 
being  perfectly  white,  when  new,  and  changing  to  a 
yellow  ecru  or  buff  color  when  old.  This  change  of 
the  color  of  the  background  causes  such  delicate  engrav- 
ings to  appear  faded  or  to  grow  indistinct.  The  counterfeit 
does  not  usually  so  change  with  age,  for  the  reason  that 
they  are  generally  "doctored,"  or  abused,  which  destroys 
the  effect  of  the  sunlight,  which  is  the  actual  cause  of 
all  white  paper  changing  with  age  to  this  "distinctive 
color."  It  is  frequently  the  case  that  in  printing  the 
vignettes  on  the  back  of  the  National  Currency  notes 
so  much  black  ink  is  absorbed  into  the  poor  paper  of  the 
counterfeit  as  to  disregard  the  lights  and  shades.  This 


42 

always  condemns.  This  quality  of  the  counterfeit  paper 
to  more  readily  absorb  ink  like  blotting  paper,  than  the 
paper  used  in  printing  genuine  notes,  that  many  danger- 
ous imitations  are  readily  detected  thereby.  Wherever 
you  can  find  lines  crossing  and  drawn  near  each  other 
so  as  to  form  regular,  yet  minute  checks ;  as  the 
background  below  the  chairs  on  back  of  $ico  Greenback 
National  Currency  notes,  also  in  the  lights  and  shades  in 
drapery  or  other  artistic  engraving  ;  you  will  find  a  good 
opportunity  to  test  this  quality  of  the  black  ink  to 
appear  in  too  great  a  quantity,  and  thus  to  destroy  the 
lights  and  shades. 

,  SECTION  3. — INKS  IN  PRINTING  GREEN  ENGRAVINGS. 

The  green  inks  employed  in  printing  genuine  currenc}- 
are  of  various  shades,  owing  in  part  to  the  deepness  of 
the  impression  or  the  variable  manner  in  which  the 
plates  are  wiped.  The  different  shades  of  green  were 
more  numerous  on  the  Greenback  issue,  where  we  have 
seen  twenty  $10  bills  put  side  by  side,  no  two  of  which 
had  identically  the  same  shade  of  green  in  the  lathe 
counter  on  face  of  note.  Yet  the  genuine  green  even  on 
this  issue  has  a  distinctive,  bright  and  lively  appearance 
that  was  not  perfectly  represented  in  an}-  counterfeit. 
The  counterfeit  being  either  of  a  too  yellow  green,  dead, 
lifeless  color,  or  too  dark  a  hue. 

On  the  Treasury  notes  the  green  is  a  much  more  uni- 
form, deep  blue-green  color,  and  this  is  especially  true  on 
those  National  Currency  notes  having  green  backs.  On 
these  National  Currency  notes  the  green  in  the  lathe 


43 

counters,  and  that  in  the  margin  of  backs  should  be  the 
same  shade,  with  reasonable  allowance  for  the  deep 
impressions,  in  other  words,  there  should  not  be  a 
marked  contrast  between  the  shades  of  the  green  in 
printing  the  lathe  counter  and  the  margin.  The  counter- 
feiters have  frequently  failed  in  having  a  pea  or  grass- 
green,  and  by  having  the  lathe  counters  much  deeper 
shade  than  the  margin.  The  color  of  the  green  on  the 
genuine  intensifies  or  grows  darker  with  age,  yet  is 
usually  of  a  more  lively,  pleasing  appearance  than  on  the 
counterfeits. 

The  green  ink,  however,  has  been  so  nearly  imitated 
that  it  requires  an  expert  judge  of  colors  to  positively 
identify  all  genuine  notes  and  detect  all  counterfeits  by 
the  green  ink  alone,  and  in  my  opinion  the  expert  must 
unconsciously  take  into  consideration  somewhat  of  the 
general  appearance  in  giving  his  accurate  decision. 

SECTION  4.— OTHER  DIFFERENT  COLORS  OF  INKS 
EMPLOYED. 

On  the  National  Gold  Banks  of  California,  the  notes 
were  printed  on  a  distinctive  colored  paper,  suggestive  of 
gold  coin,  and  on  the  backs  a  color  of  ink  was  used  also, 
similar  to  or  suggesting  the  color  of  gold  coin  having 
abundance  of  copper  alloy.  In  the  space  on  back  of 
these  notes,  occupied  by  the  vignettes  on  the  Greenback 
series  of  other  National  Currency  notes,  is  also  a  fine 
engraving  representing  the  various  United  States  gold 
coins  printed  in  this  distinctive  color  of  ink. 

On  the  backs  of  Gold  Certificates,  a  much  lighter  and 
different  distinctive  color  is  used  from  that  on  the 


44 

National  Gold  Banks  of  California,  but  also  suggesting 
the  fact  of  their  representing  gold. 

On  the  series  of  1882  of  the  National  Currency,  a  deep, 
brown  ink  was  employed,  taking  the  place  of  the  older 
series  of  this  issue  that  were  printed  in  green  ink,  and 
that  had  been  so  frequently  and  so  successfully  counter- 
feited that  plates  of  the  Brown-back  series  were  engraved 
for  all  National  Banks  coming  into  existence  after  that 
date.  On  this  series  the  vignettes  found  on  the  backs  of 
the  Greenback  series  were  omitted,  and  on  the  $5  notes, 
the  former  vignettes  on  face  of  note  were  also  omitted, 
and  a  fine  portrait  of  James  A.  Garfield  used  instead. 
Taking  the  place  of  tht  vignettes  on  back  of  the  former 
series  of  the  National  Currency  notes,  is  a  double  wreath 
of  Cycloydal  engine  work,  the  outer  one  being  printed 
in  brown  ink,  while  the  inner  one  is  printed  in  a 
distinctive  blue  color,  upon  which  is  engraved  the  charter 
number  of  the  bank.  None  of  these  notes  printed  in 
these  distinctive  colors  have  ever  been  successfully  coun- 
terfeited and  not  at  all,  except  on  the  Brownback  National 
Currency: 

(i).  On  $5  by  the  photographic  process.  (2).  On  $10 
on  the  Third  National  Bank  of  Cincinnati,  O.,  and  on  the 
Germania  National  Bank  of  New  Orleans,  La. 

There  seems  to  be  a  doubt  entertained  by  some  honest 
folk  as  to  the  wisdom  of  the  policy  of  the  government  in 
using  so  great  a  variety  of  colors  and  having  so  many  differ- 
ent designs  in  the  various  issues  and  series  of  our  circulat- 
ing medium  ;  but  the  reason  for  doing  ?o  has  not  been  for 
the  mere  purpose  of  making  a  vast  variety  of  different 


45 

designs,  but  as  an  effort  to  furnish  additional  security 
by  making  it  more  difficult  for  the  counterfeiter,  and  thus 
exhibits  the  great  care  taken  by  the  Treasury  officials  in 
their  endeavor  to  suppress  the  circulation  of  counterfeit 
money.  At  the  same  time  this  condition  greatly  increases 
the  care  and  the  amount  of  study  necessary  on  the  part 
of  money-handlers  to  become  expert  judges,  and  also 
emphasizes  the  necessity  of  such  a  work  as  this  to  aid 
them  in  so  doing. 

SECTION  5. — ALTERED  NOTES. 

Among  the  various  methods  the  counterfeiters  employ 
to  obtain  money  without  honest  effort  is  by  several  pro- 
cesses of  changing  genuine  paper  currency  from  a  lower 
to  a  higher  denomination.  This  is  done  in  several  ways, 
namely  : 

(i).  By  use  of  Acids.  (2).  By  Erasure.  (3).  By 
Inks  and  Dyes.  (4).  By  Splitting.  (5).  By  Piecing. 

I.    BY    ACIDS. 

Acids  are  used  to  remove  impressions  wherever  desired, 
and  then  the  amount  that  better  suits  the  counterfeiter's 
fancy  is.  printed  into  the  places  thus  prepared. 

2.    BY    ERASURE. 

The  counterfeiter  sometimes  erases  the  genuine  im- 
pression by  removing  a  thin  layer  of  the  paper  and  then 
pastes  into  the  place  thus  prepared  the  fraudulent  amount. 

3.    BY    INKS    OR   DYES. 

By  means  of  the  use  of  inks  or  dyes  the  proper  designs 
denoting  the  lawful  amount  are  covered  up  with  pen  or 


46 

brush,  and  the  fradulent  amount  is  made  to  appear  in  the 
most  conspicuous  places. 

4.    BY   SPLITTING. 

Another  process  of  altering  the  denomination  of  genuine 
money  is  by  splitting  the  genuine  paper,  thus  removing 
a  section  denoting  a  lower  denomination  and  inserting 
a  section  removed  from  a  higher  denomination  into  the 
exact  .place  from  whence  the  removal  has  been  made. 
By  this  method  we  have  seen  a$io  Treasury  Note,  series 
of  1869,  so  successfully  raised  to  $100  that  it  was  received 
by  a  cashier  in  a  bank  who  prided  himself  on  being  an 
excellent  judge  of  money. 

5.   BY  PIECING. 

The  process  of  piecing  bills  is  done  by  cutting  several 
genuine  notes  of  the  same  denomination  and  issue,  in 
such  a  way  that  a  portion  of  each  is  removed,  and  then 
by  piecing  these  removed  sections  together  an  entire  note 
is  secured.  This  work  is  so  neatly  done,  the  edges  of  the 
various  pieces  so  nicely  joined  that  they  are  liable  to  be 
passed  on  good  judges  of  money,  for  to  all  appearance 
they  are  genuine,  with  the  slight  variation  in  size. 

The  only  means  of  protecting  a  person  from  loss  in 
accepting  these  raised  or  altered  notes  are  : 

1.  By  becoming  perfectly  familiar   with  the  various 
designs  on  the  genuine  notes  so  as  to  immediately  recog- 
nize any  change. 

2.  By  holding  the  suspicious   note  up  to  the  light 
so  that  one  can  look  through  it,  when,  if  any  alteration 
has  been  made,  it  will  be  apparent. 


47 

3.  By  careful  examination  to  ascertain  whether  any 
of  the  duplicated  designs  denoting  the  denomination 
usually  found  in  the  margin  of  notes  have  been  covered 
up  or  defaced. 

These  processes  have  not  been  so  successful  with  our 
present  circulating  medium,  on  account  of  the  different 
designs  on  the  various  denominations,  as  they  were 
during  the  existence  of  the  Old  State  Banks  of  issue  long 
since  extinct.  However,  among  the  most  successful  of 
this  class  of  fraudulent  notes  ever  put  into  circulation  on 
our  present  currency,  the  following  should  be  mentioned  : 

$i  Greenback  raised  to  $5. 

$2  Greenback  raised  to  $50. 

$5  Greenback  National  Currency  Note,  having  scal- 
loped seal,  raised  to  $20. 

$2  Silver  Certificate  raised  to  $10. 

$10  Treasury  Notes,  series  1869,  raised  to  $100. 

SECTION  6. — CHARTER  NUMBERS. 
When  the  National  Currency  was  first  issued  they  bore 
no  charter  numbers.  The  charter  number  was  first 
printed  on  the  Greenback  National  Currency  Notes  in 
small  black  figures.  Then  the  Charter  number  was 
printed  in  large,  dark,  deep  red  figures,  this  being  con- 
tinued on  the  series  of  1875,  after  the  pointed  seal 
had  been  discarded  and  the  red  scalloped  seal  adopted. 
Lastly,  on  the  Brownback  National  Currency  Notes,  the 
charter  numbers  were  printed  in  large,  deep  brown 
figures,  and  also  used  as  duplicated  designs  in  margin 
of  note,  and  also  represented  on  central  cycloidal  wreath 


48 

on  back  of  note.  Whenever  the  charter  number  differs 
from  the  correct  one,  as  is  sometimes  the  case  in  counter- 
feit bills,  of  course  this  certainly  condemns,  as  on  the 
First  National  Bank  of  Tamaqua,  Pa.,  where  the  genuine 
should  be  1219,  if  represented. 

SECTION  6. — TYPE  IN  NUMBERS. 

The  serial  numbers  on  Greenbacks  are  all  printed  in 
Round  or  Roman  type  of  various  sizes,  yet  of  a  distinctive 
shape  that  is  frequently  wanting  in  many  counterfeits. 
On  this  issueSquare  or  Block  type  in  the  numbering  posi- 
tively condemns. 

The  National  Currency  Notes  having  pointed  seal 
have  their  Bank  numbers  always  printed  in  Round  type, 
while  their  Treasury  numbers  are  always  printed  in 
Square  or  Block  type. 

All  Greenback  National  Currency  Notes  that  bear  a 
red  scalloped  seal  have  both  Treasury  and  Bank 
numbers  printed  in  Block  type  ;  they  also  had  ' '  series 
of  1875"  printed  across  the  face  of  the  note,  near 
the  charter  number,  in  small  red  figures,  and  were 
printed  on  fibered  paper.  Therefore,  whenever  you  find 
such  a  note  having  Block  type  only  and  not  at  the  same 
time  having  the  "  Scalloped  Sea/,"  "  Series  of  1875," 
and  the  "Jute  or  Silk  Fiber  in  the  paper,"  you  may 
know  such  a  bill  is  positively  bad. 

The  Brownback  National  Currency  Notes  and  the 
Treasury  Notes  were  printed  only  in  Block  type  ;  how- 
ever, the  Gold  Certificates  are  printed  with  a  unique 
ornamental  Block  type. 


49 

Block  type,  in  both  places,  invariably  calls  for  the 
fibered  paper. 

SECTION  7. — CHARACTER  OR  CHECK  LETTERS. 

All  genuine  notes  are  printed  in  sheets  consisting  of 
four  bills.  In  printing  United  States  notes,  each  sheet 
consists  of  bills  of  the  same  denomination,  but  bearing 
different  check  or  character  letters,  namely:  "A,"  "'B," 
"C"  and  "D"  ;  while  the  sheets  printed  for  National 
Banks  may  or  may  not  consist  of  notes  of  the  same  denomi- 
nation, and  bear  one  of  the  first  eight  letters  of  the  alpha- 
bet as  their  check  letter. 

Each  counterfeit  is  originally  made  only  on  one  check 
letter,  but  sometimes  it  is  changed  so  as  to  purport  to  be 
on  some  other  bank  or  check  letter.  All  United  States 
Notes  being  thus  printed  and  being  numbered  consecu- 
tively, it  followed  unintentionally  that  should  the  last 
three  figures  of  the  Treasury  number  be  divided  by  four, 
if  there  is  no  remainder,  "D"  will  be  the  character  letter  ; 
if  one  remains,  "A";  if  two,  "B";  and  if  three,  "C"  will 
be  the  check  letter.  This  is  given  by  those  having  no 
general  knowledge  as  a  test  of  genuineness,  whereas, 
many  counterfeiters  have  by  accident  or  design  numbered 
their  bills  in  accordance  with  this  so-called  infallible  (?) 
rule,  and  therefore,  it  should  never  be  depended  on 
unless  it  condemns.  The  check  or  character  letter, 
however,  is  very  useful  in  the  description  of  the  genuine 
plate  on  which  a  counterfeit  has  been  issued,  so  as  to 
denote  the  particular  plate  in  reference  to  the  application 
of  "Special  Points,"  whenever  said  particular  counterfeit 


50 

plate  has  been  captured,  so  that  these  special  defects  cannot 
be  remedied. 

SECTION  8. — SIGNATURES. 

The  signatures  found  on  nearly  all  of  the  Greenbacks 
and  the  Treasury  notes,  were  engraved,  and  are  therefore 
printed  when  the  dark  inpression  is  taken.  On  a  few  of 
the  Fractional  Currency  notes  known  as  the  "Autograph 
Series,"  the  signatures  of  F.  E.  Spinner  and  S.  B.  Colby 
were  written  ;  also  on  some  of  the  Demand  notes  there 
were  written  signatures,  but  even  though  the  counter- 
feiter can  make  excellent  copies  of  printed  signatures 
that  more  often  will  deceive  than  will  be  detected  as 
regards  the  form  of  their  letters,  yet  in  many  of  their 
issues  they  fail  in  not  making  as  good  prints  as  the 
genuine,  partly  owing  to  their  inferior  paper.  But  it 
may  be  frankly  admitted  that  whenever  signatures  are 
printed  on  the  genuine,  they  are  frequently  so  nicely 
copied  that  when  they  do  fail,  the  failure  is  more  of  the 
nature  of  a  "Special  Point"  than  a  general  principle. 
On  the  National  Currency  notes,  in  addition  to  the 
engraved  signatures  of  the  Register  and  the  Treasurer  of 
the  United  States  Treasury,  the  signatures  of  the  Presi- 
dent and  Cashier  of  the  various  banks  are  written 
thereon  before  the  bills  are  put  into  circulation.  How- 
ever, on  some  of  the  larger  banks,  these  signatures  of  the 
bank  officers  were  lithographed,  until  a  special  ruling  of 
the  Treasury  Department  caused  that  practice  to  cease. 
Of  course,  wherever  the  signatures  of  the  bank  officers 
on  any  particular  bill  are  known,  then  the  fraudulent 


signature  may  be  detected.  On  many  counterfeits  on 
country  banks,  the  signatures  are  lithographed,  and 
when  this  is  the  case,  of  course  it  condemns,  as  the 
signatures  of  the  bank  officers  on  all  excepting  the 
banks  having  the  lowest  issue  were  invariably  written. 

SECTION  9. — STOLEN  NATIONAL  CURRENCY  NOTES. 

Several  National  Banks  have  been  so  unfortunate  or 
careless  as  to  have  had  some  of  their  notes  stolen  and 
put  into  circulation  before  the  signatures  of  the  bank 
officers  were  signed  thereto. 

These  notes  are  rejected  by  the  United  States  Treasury 
when  presented  for  redemption,  and  are  returned  with 
usually  a  large  "S"  branded  thereon.  This  has  been 
done  owing  to  the  fact  that  these  notes  are  not  considered 
complete  promissory  notes  of  the  various  banks.  This 
would  seem  a  questionable  policy,  for  the  following 
reasons  : 

1.  When   the   government  has  printed  the  bills  and 
delivered  them  to  the  Express  Company  to  be  forwarded 
to  the  bank,  its  duty  has  been  fulfilled. 

2.  If  the  Express  Co  lost  them  in  transit,  would  they 
not  be  held  responsible  therefor  ? 

3.  When  the  Express  Company  has  delivered  them  to 
the  bank,  its  duty  has  been  fulfilled. 

4.  Now,  if  by  accident,  carelessness  or  misfortune, 
these  notes  get  into  circulation,    who  should  sustain  the 
loss  ?     The  bank  that  has  been  thus  negligent,  or  unfor- 
tunate,  or  the  innocent  person  who  by  this  neglect  or 
misfortune  is  imposed. 


52 

5.  It  is  not  the  names  of  the  officers  of  the  various 
banks  that  give  to  their  notes  universal  confidence,  but 
rather  the  signatures  of  the  Register  and  Treasurer  of 
the  United  States  Treasury,  whose  signatures  bear  wit- 
ness to  the  fact  that  "This  note  is  secured  by  bonds  of 
the  United  States  deposited  with  the  United  States  Treas- 
urer at  Washington".  However,  until  this  matter  is 
finally  settled,  no  one  is  safe  to  accept  any  of  the  follow- 
ing notes,  although  genuine  save  the  signature. 

$5- 

Osage  National  Bank  of  Iowa,  Treasury  Nos.  560,959 
to  561,408. 

First  National  Bank,  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  Treasury  Nos. 
860,121  to  860,170. 

The  First  National  Bank  of  Pontiac,  111.,  Treasury 
Nos.  252,111  to  252,135,  series  of  1875. 

$10  AND  $20. 

Merchants  National  Bank  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  Treasury 
Nos.  45,195  to  45,202,  series  of  1875. 

First  National  Bank  of  Atchison,  Kansas,  Treasury 
Nos.  679,929  to  679,942. 

The  National  Bank  of  Barre,  Vt.,  Treasury  Nos. 
932,805  to  932,830. 

National  Hide  &  Leather  Bank,  Boston,  Mass.,  Treas- 
ury Nos.  22,900  to  22,953. 

Third  National  Bank  of  New  York,  Treasury  Nos, 
644,416  to  644,430. 


53 

$5°  AND  $IOO. 

First  National  Bank  of  Jersey  City,  N.  J.,  Treasury 
Nos.  19,609  to  19,688. 

National  City  Bank  of  Lynn,  Mass.,  Treasury  Nos. 
66,796  to  66,825. 

SECTION  10. — SCRIPT  LETTERING. 

The  Script  Lettering  found  on  genuine  currency  is 
done  by  special  script  letter  artists,  and  is  of  such  a 
graceful,  uniform  character  that  it  is  often  very  poorly 
copied  in  counterfeits. 

Here  one  must  look  for  and  exact  perfection  in  every 
respect. 

1 .  In  the  execution  of  each  letter. 

2.  In  the  shade,  slant,  angle,  spacings  and  size  of  the 
stroke. 

These  same  artists  also  make  the  various  ornamental 
scrolls  or  nourishes  often  found  on  genuine  notes.  These 
srcolls  have  a  fixed  position  on  the  plate,  and  any 
variation  or  omission  condemns. 

SECTION  1 1 . — BACKGROUNDS  TO  NUMBERS. 

The  background  behind  the  Treasury  numbers  is 
frequently  not  white  paper  merely,  but  composed  of 
various  ornamental  designs,  varying  from  simply  parallel, 
straight  or  waved  lines  so  gracefully  terminating  in  dots 
or  dashes  that  their  edges  gradually  disappear,  to  exceed- 
ingly complicated,  ornamental  designs.  In  the  counter- 
feits yet  issued  these  backgrounds  have  been  more  or  less 
defective,  similar  to  the  shading  of  the  letters,  having 


54 

broken,  irregular  lines,  and  not  so  gracefully  terminating 
along  the  outer  edges,  sometimes  ending  abruptly,  as  in 
$  i ,  $2 ,  $5  and  $20  Silver  Certificates.  The  cycloidal  back- 
grounds to  the  numbers  found  on  some  of  the  Treasury 
Notes  are  of  various  designs  and  are  often  surrounded  by 
ornamental  embellishments  printed  in  "a  distinctive 
color. ' ' 

12.    FEELING   OF   PAPER. 

There  is  a  wide  difference  of  opinion  among  those  who 
are  most  competent  to  judge  as  regards  the  feeling  of  the 
paper  as  a  test  of  genuineness.  It  would  seem  reasonable 
on  first  thought  that  genuine  paper  differing  so  widely  in 
its  texture  from  that  usually  employed  by  the  counter- 
feiter, that  the  feeling  should  be  a  very  prominent  charac- 
teristic of  the  genuine,  and  eminently  worthy  of  con- 
fidence, but  upon  more  thought  and  experience,  with  a 
better  knowledge  of  the  variety  of  feeling  exhibited  in 
different  specimens  of  genuine  notes,  owing  to  the  various 
uses  or  abuses  they  have  been  subjected  to,  we  are  of  the 
opinion  that  at  the  very  best  the  feeling  should  only 
be  used  to  excite  suspicion,  and  should  not  be  relied 
upon  as  giving  a  correct  knowledge  as  to  the  charac- 
ter of  any  suspicious  note.  Therefore  we  cannot  advise 
otherwise. 


CHAPTER   V. 

Description  of  the  Artistic  Engravings  on  all  Genuine 
Notes. 

PORTRAITS    AND   VIGNETTES. 

Few  persons  among  those  most  familiar  with  our  paper 
currency  or  those  who  have  had  the  most  experience, 
could  tell  off-hand  the  several  portraits  found  on  our 
various  issues ;  and  fewer  of  these  even  could  describe 
the  various  vignettes  found  on  the  several  denominations 
of  our  circulating  medium.  Not  one  in  a  hundred  of  the 
best  informed  have  a  perfect  conception  of  the  ideas 
intended  to  be  conveyed  by  the  portraits  and  vignettes, 
outside  and  independent  of  the  elements  of  security  this 
part  of  engraving  is  intended  to  offer.  While  this  is 
true  as  regards  {hose  having  the  greatest  experience, 
what  can  be  the  value  of  the  information  in  the  possession 
of  the  teller  who  has  had  but  little  experience,  saying 
nothing  about  the  ordinary  business  man,  as  regards 
this  wonderfully  interesting,  instructive  and  fascinating 
subject.  To  the  end  that  the  various  designs  may  be- 
come generally  known  by  all  handlers  of  money,  a  con- 
densed statement  is  hereby  given. 

The  government  has  not  only  provided  and  put  into 
circulation  the  best  form  of  paper  money  ever  issued, 
covered,  as  we  have  seen,  with  many  safeguards  which 
unitedly  form  infallible  tests  as  to  the  true  character  of 
every  note,  and  of  such  a  stable  character  that  no  man 


56 

has  necessarily  lost  one  dollar  on  account  of  depreciation 
in  value,  but  has  also  in  the  production  of  the  various 
unique  designs  represented,  shown  the  greatest  care  in 
producing  beautiful  and  artistic  issues,  exhibiting  in  a 
marked  degree  the  highest  grade  of  taste  in  selecting  the 
artistic  designs  represented  so  as  to  convey  ennobling 
ideas,  viz.  : 

1.  Emulation  of  characters  of  eminent  persons  who 
by  acts  of  wisdom,  bravery,  or  patriotism  have  endeared 
their  names  to  the  hearts  of  all  Americans. 

2.  Inculcating  ideas  of  patriotism,   loyalty  and  love 
for  our  country. 

3.  Commemorative   of   historical    events    in    connec- 
tion  with    the   birth,    growth    and  maintenance  of  our 
national  life. 

4.  Commemorative  of  geographical  discoveries. 

5.  Commemorative  of  scientific  discoveries. 

6.  To  induce  the  study  and  patronage  of  Art. 

7.  To  cultivate  an  elevated  standard  of  aesthetic  taste 
as  regards  feligion,  virtue  and  true  manhood. 

The  following  portraits  and  vignettes  are  found  on  the 
face  of  the  respective  Greenbacks  : 

SECTION  i. — COMPOUND  INTEREST  NOTES. 
$10          Salmon  P.  Chase. 
$20          On  right  end  portrait  of  Lincoln,  and  on  left  end 

vignette  of  Goddess. 

$50          Alexander  Hamilton  on  lower  right  end, 
$100        Full  length  vignette  of  General  Washington  in 
upper  central  section. 


57 

$500  On  left  end  a  Standard  Bearer,  and  in  lower 
right  hand  corner  picture  of  war  ship  ' '  Iron- 
side." 

$1,000  On  left  end  a  vignette  of  a  female  with  scales, 
representing  Justice.  On  right  end  a  female 
figure  with  shield  and  eagle,  representing 
Loyalty. 

SECTION  2. — GREENBACKS  PROPER. 

$i  Salmon  P.  Chase. 

$2  Alexander  Hamilton. 

$5  On  lower  right  hand  end  portrait  of  Alt  xander 

Hamilton.  Full  length  female  figure  on  left 
hand,  representing  America. 

$10  Abraham  Lincoln  on  left  end.  Small,  spread  eagle 
in  central  upper  face  ;  full  length  female  stand- 
ing on  right  end  of  note,  representing  Art. 

$20  A  full  length  female  figure  in  central  portion  of 
note,  representing  America. 

$50          Alexander  Hamilton. 

$100        Large  spread  eagle. 

$500        Albert  Galatin. 

$1,000     Robert  Morris. 

SECTION  3. — PORTRAITS  AND  VIGNETTES  ON  TREASURY 
NOTES  PROPER,  SERIES  1869  TO  1880. 

$i  George  Washington,  on  all  series. 

On  upper  left  end  of  note  is  a  vignette  repre- 
senting Christopher  Columbus  standing  on  the 
quarter-deck  of  his  ship,  Curavel,  signifying  the 
discovery  of  the  new  world. 


58 

$2  Thomas  Jefferson  on  left  end,  on  all  series. 

In  central  portion  of  the  note  is  a  vignette  repre- 
senting the  United  States  Capitol. 

$5  Andrew  Jackson  on  lower  left  end,  on  all  series. 

A  vignette  representing  a  pioneer  with  family  in 
center  of  note. 

$10  Daniel  Webster  on  lower  left  end,  on  all  series. 
On  right  end  is  a  vignette  representing  Chris- 
topher Columbus  introducing  "America,"  sym- 
bolized by  an  Indian  female,  to  the  '  'Old  World, ' ' 
represented  by  a  group  dressed  in  oriental 
costume. 

$20          Alexander  Hamilton  on  left  end,  on  all  series. 

On  the  right  end  is  a  vignette  of  a  female  figure 
holding  in  her  left  hand  a  staff,  and  with  her 
right  hand  she  holds  a  shield  as  though  in  the  act 
of  warding  off  danger,  representing  Protection 
of  American  Liberty. 

$50  Henry  Clay  on  lower  right  end — series  of  1869. 
On  left  end  is  a  female  figure  wearing  a  wreath 
of  laurel  ;  in  her  left  hand  she  holds  a  statue  of 
Mercury,  while  in  her  right  she  holds  an  olive 
branch,  representing  "Peace." 

$50          Benjamin  Franklin  on  lower  left  end  series  other 
than  1869. 

On  right  end  is  an  ideal  portrait  of  a  female 
wearing  a  crown  of  stars,  representing  the 
American  Republic. 

$100        Abraham  Lincoln  on  left  end,  on  all  series 


59 

On  right  end  of  face  is  a  vignette  representing 
Architecture. 

$500  John  Q.  Adams  on  lower  right  end — series  1869. 
On  left  end  stands  a  female  figure  holding  the 
scales  accurately  poised,  representing  "Justice." 

$500        General  Mansfield — series  other  than  1869. 

$1,000  DeWitt  Clinton,  on  central  portion  of  note,  on  all 
series. 

On  left  end  of  face  is  a  vignette  representing 
Columbus  surrounded  by  charts,  globes,  etc., 
studying  about  the  yet  undiscovered  new  world. 

SECTION  4. — PORTRAITS  ON  SILVER  CERTIFICATES. 

$i  Martha  Washington,         series  1886. 

$2  General  W.  S.  Hancock,      " 

$2  Secretary  Windom.     (Not  yet  issued.) 

$5  General  U.  S.  Grant,         series  1886. 

$10  Robert  Morris,  "       1880. 

$10  Vice-President  Hendricks,   "       1886. 

$20  General  Steven  Decatur,       "       1880. 

$20  Daniel  Manning,  "       1886. 

$50  Edward  Everett,  "      1880. 

$100  James  Monroe, 

$500  Charles  Sumner, 

$1,000  Wm.  L,.  Marcy, 

SECTION  5. — PORTRAITS  ON  GOLD  CERTIFICATES. 
$20         James  A.  Garfield. 
$50          Silas  Wright. 
$100        Thomas  Benton. 
$500        Abraham  Lincoln. 


6o 

$1,000     Alexander  Hamilton. 
$5,000     President  Monroe. 
$10,000  Andrew  Jackson. 

SECTION  6. — PORTRAITS  ON  COIN  NOTES. 

$i  Secretary  Stanton. 

$2  General  McPherson. 

$5  General  Thomas. 

$10  General  Sheridan. 

$20  Chief  Justice  Marshall. 

$50  Edwin  D.  Baker.     (Not  yet  issued.) 

$100  Commodore  Farragut. 

$500  Secretary  Seward.      (Not  yet  issued.) 

$1,000  General  Meade. 

SECTION  7. — PORTRAITS  AND  VIGNETTES  ON  NATIONAL 
CURRENCY. 

On  the  Greenback  National  Currency  notes  there  are 
vignettes  both  on  face  and  back  of  each  note,  while  on 
the  series  known  as  Brown-backs  the  vignettes  on  back 
have  been  omitted,  and  on  the  $5  of  this  series,  the  vig- 
nettes on  face  have  also  been  omitted,  and  a  portrait  of 
James  A.  Garfield  employed  instead. 

$i.  On  the  face  of  note  is  a  vignette  of  two  female 
figures,  representing  the  North  and  South.  The  lady 
representing  the  North  is  grasping  with  her  right  hand 
the  right  hand  of  the  lady  representing  the  South,  while 
her  left  hand  is  pointing  toward  heaven,  calling  on  God 
to  witness  the  re-union  that  He  aided  in  securing.  The 
South  bears  an  olive  branch  in  her  left  hand  and  has  one 
foot  resting  on  the  platform  upon  which  stands  an  altar 


6i 

with  a  blazing  fire  on  top,  representing  the  Altar  of  our 
common  country,  upon  which  the  fire  of  patriotism  will 
consume  all  remembrances  of  the  past  unpleasantness. 

On  the  back  is  a  vignette  representing  the  landing  of 
the  Pilgrims. 

$2.  On  the  left  end  of  face  is  represented  a  female 
seated  on  the  bow  of  a  war  ship,  holding  the  American 
flag,  representing  the  Genius  of  our  Navy  ;  to  the  right 
in  the  background  is  a  ship  under  full  sail,  representing 
our  commerce,  and  to  the  left,  a  city  is  seen  in  the 
distance,  both  of  which  it  is  the  duty  of  our  Navy  to 
protect.  Above  all  are  thirteen  stars  appearing  quite 
distinctly,  while  other  stars  are  almost  visible.  On  the 
back  is  a  vignette  representing  Sir  Walter  Raleigh 
introducing  the  use  of  tobacco  to  the  nobility  of  England, 
and  a  servant  entering  the  room  carrying  a  salver  on 
which  is  a  pitcher  of  wine,  is  so  frightened  by  seeing 
smoke  issuing  from  Sir  Walter's  mouth  that  he  tips  over 
the  pitcher. 

$5.  On  left  end  of  face  is  a  vignette  representing 
Christopher  Columbus  discovering  America.  He  is 
standing  in  the  bow  of  his  boat  pointing  out  the  land  he 
has  discovered  to  some  of  the  crew,  while  a  priest  with 
crucifix  in  hand,  kneeling  on  one  knee,  is  offering 
supplication  for  the  kindness  of  Providence  thus  vouch- 
safed. On  the  right  end  of  face  is  a  vignette  representing 
a  Spaniard  introducing  a  female  Indian,  representing 
America,  to  three  female  figures,  representing  Europe, 
Asia  and  Africa.  On  the  back  is  a  vignette  representing 
the  landing  of  Columbus,  holding  the  Spanish  flag  in  his 


62 

left  hand,  while  in  his  right  he  holds  a  sword,  in  the  act 
of  taking  possession  of  "  New  Spain  "  in  the  name  of  his 
sovereigns,  Queen  Isabella  and  King  Ferdinand. 

$10.  On  the  left  end  of  face  is  a  vignette  representing 
Benjamin  Franklin  in  his  successful  effort  of  proving 
that  lightning  was  electricity  ;  a  bolt  of  lightning  is  seen 
striking  the  kite  away  up  among  the  clouds.  On  the 
right  end  of  face  is  represented  a  female  seated  upon  an 
eagle  flying  through  the  sky,  while  she  has  caught  hold 
of  a  bolt  of  lightning  with  her  hand,  signifying  the 
Genius  of  America  in  scientific  discoveries. 

On  back  of  note  is  a  vignette  representing  De  Soto  dis- 
covering the  Mississippi  river.  De  Soto  is  represented 
on  horseback  followed  by  his  soldiery,  while  others  are 
raising  a  cross  upon  which  is  a  crucifix.  In  the  back- 
ground is  represented  an  Indian  village,  and  the  half- 
clad  savages  are  over-powered  with  fright  and  astonish- 
ment. 

$20.  On  left  hand  of  face  is  a  vignette  representing 
the  battle  of  Lexington.  One  soldier  is  firing,  taking 
excellent  aim  while  so  doing  ;  another  is  looking  to  see 
where  he  can  do  the  best  execution  before  raising  his 
already  loaded  gun ;  and  still  another  soldier  is  in  the 
background  ramming  the  charge  into  his  gun  ;  while 
in  front  is  a  female  figure  bending  over  and  adminis- 
tering care  to  a  fallen  soldier  lying  prostrate.  On  the 
right  end  is  a  vignette  with  a  female  figure  representing 
'  'America ' '  unfurling  the  stars  and  stripes,  while  she  is 
at  the  same  time  exhorting  her  countrymen  to  defend 
and  protect  it. 


63 

On  back  of  note  is  a  vignette  representing  the  baptism 
of  Pocahontas  kneeling  at  the  altar  in  a  church,  while  a 
priest  is  standing  with  one  hand  extended  over  her  head, 
in  the  solemn  act  of  the  baptismal  service.  In  the 
audience  there  are  many  witnesses  to  the  ceremony  both 
white  people  and  Indians. 

$50.  On  left  end  of  face  is  a  vignette  representing 
George  Washington  crossing  the  Delaware.  He  is  stand- 
ing in  a  boat  that  is  being  worked  with  oars,  while  in 
the  distant  background  may  be  seen  other  soldiers  follow- 
ing him.  On  right  end  of  face  is  a  vignette  representing 
a  soldier  of  the  Revolution  kneeling  in  prayer  at  Valley 
Forge,  and  as  he  prays,  he  has  a  vision  in  which  he  sees 
three  female  figures  in  the  heavens  representing  Justice, 
Liberty,  and  Victory,  over  which  is  a  flag  of  stars  and 
stripes  on  which  is  seen  the  word  ' '  Victory. ' ' 

On  back  of  note  is  a  vignette  representing  the  embarka- 
tion of  the  Pilgrims.  An  elderly  gentleman  is  holding 
an  open  bible  on  his  lap  that  has  just  been  read,  while  a 
priest  is  kneeling  in  the  act  of  prayer,  surrounded  by  the 
passengers  on  board  the  May  Flower,  July  22,  1620. 

$100.  On  left  end  efface  is  a  vignette  representing 
the  Battle  of  Lake  Erie,  September  10,  1813.  Commo- 
dore Perry  leaving  his  disabled  flag  ship  Lawrence  to 
join  the  war  ship  Niagara  standing  off  at  a  distance,  is 
standing  up  in  a  lifeboat,  and  as  the  oars  are  taking 
water,  while  watching  the  enemy  he  gave  the  brave  crew 
left  on  board  the  memorable  order  "Don't  give  up  the 
ship."  On  the  right  end  of  face  is  a  vignette  represent- 
ing the  Goddess  of  Liberty,  in  the  form  of  a  female,  sym- 


64 

bolizing  America,  who  wears  a  coronet  with  the  word 
"  Liberty  "  engraved  thereon.  She  is  standing  with  up- 
turned face,  her  left  hand  extending  over  a  bundle  of 
sticks,  representing  the  "Union,"  in  the  act  of  asking 
the  blessing  of  Heaven  thereon  to  "  Maintain  it." 

On  back  of  note  is  a  vignette  representing  the  signing 
of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  at  Philadelphia, 
July  4,  1776. 

$500.  On  the  left  end  of  face  is  a  vignette  representing 
the  Genius  of  our  American  Navy.  A  female  figure 
crowned  with  stars  seated  upon  a  cannon  is  in  the  fore- 
ground, while  in  the  background  can  be  seen  a  ship  and 
camp.  In  the  heavens  there  is  a  bow  of  promise,  and  an 
American  Eagle  is  soaring  in  the  sky.  On  right  end  of 
face  is  a  vignette  representing  the  steamship  Sierus 
arriving  in  New  York  harbor  in  1838. 

On  back  of  note  is  a  vignette  representing  the  Surren- 
der of  General  Burgoyne  at  Saratoga,  New  York,  October 
T7>  I777-  General  Burgoyne  is  in  the  act  of  delivering 
his  sword  to  General  Washington  in  the  presence  of  the 
representatives  of  both  armies. 

$1,000.  On  the  left  end  efface  is  a  vignette  represent- 
ing the  triumphant  entry  of  General  Scott  at  the  head  of 
our  forces  into  the  City  of  Mexico.  On  therigitend  of 
face  is  an  engraving  of  the  building  of  our  National  Cap- 
itol. On  back  of  note  is  a  vignette  representing  General 
Washington  resigning  his  commission  at  Annapolis,  Md., 
1783- 


CHAPTER  VI. 
Questions  and  Answers  in  Reference  to  Oral  Instruction. 

i.     OUR  VARIOUS  ISSUES. 

Q.     How  many  issues  of  paper  money  have  we  ? 

A.  Three,  namely,  Gieenbacks,  National  Currency 
Notes  and  Treasury  Notes. 

Q.     Of  what  do  the  Greenbacks  consist  ? 

A.  All  United  States  Notes  issued  prior  to  the  year 
1869,  including  Greenbacks  proper,  Demand  Notes,  Com- 
pound Interest  Notes  and  Fractional  Currency. 

Q.     Of  what  does  the  National  Currency  consist  ? 

A.  All  notes  issued  by  National  Banks,  including  the 
Greenback  National  Currency  Notes,  the  Brownback 
National  Currency  Notes  and  the  National  Gold  Bank 
Notes  of  California. 

Q.     Of  what  do  the  Treasury  Notes  consist  ? 

A.  All  notes  issued  by  the  United  States  since  and 
including  the  series  of  1869,  namely,  Treasury  Notes 
proper,  Gold  Certificates,  Silver  Certificates  and  Coin 
Notes. 

2.     TEXTURE. 

Q.  Owing  to  the  manufacture  of  our  genuine  paper, 
what  ought  a  genuine  note  not  to  have  a  tendency  to 
do? 

A.     To  be  brittle  or  to  break  at  right  angles  with  the 


66 

length   of  the   note,  unless   folded   for  a   long  time  or 
heavily  creased. 

3.     FIBER. 

Q.  What  is  found  in  the  texture  of  the  Treasury 
notes  and  National  Currency  notes  having  scalloped 
seal? 

A.     Silk-fiber  or  Jute  fiber. 

Q.     Of  what  colors  are  these  fibers  ? 

A.     Blue  and  red. 

Q.  When  the  Jute-fibered  paper  was  employed,  which 
color  predominated  ? 

A.  The  blue  apparently  a  thousand  to  one. 

Q.     How  does  the  silk  in  the  paper  appear  ? 

A.  As  one  or  two  blue  or  red  silk  cords  running 
parallel  and  lengthwise  across  the  note,  with  occasionally 
some  fragments  of  silk-fibre  scattered  promiscuously 
through  the  bill. 

Q.     What  notes  are  printed  on  the  Jute-fibered  paper  ? 

A.  A  few  of  the  Fractional  Currency  notes  ;  a  few  of 
the  pointed  seal  Greenback  National  Currency  notes  ;  all 
scalloped  seal  National  Currency  notes  that  were  printed 
prior  to  1882,  and  all  Treasury  notes  that  were  printed 
prior  to  the  year  1880. 

Q.  What  notes  were  printed  on  the  Silk-fibered 
paper  ? 

A.  All  Treasury  notes  printed  since  and  including 
the  series  of  1880.  All  Brownback  National  Currency 
notes  and  all  Greenback  National  Currency  notes  having 
a  "scalloped  seal"  and  "series  of  1875"  printed  and 
issued  since  1882. 


67 

Q.     How  has  the  Jute-fibre  been  imitated  ? 

A.  By  printed  marks  on  the  outside  of  paper,  or  by 
something  resembling  Jute-fiber  placed  within  the  paper 
on  the  $500  Treasury  note,  series  of  1869,  and  on  the 
$100  Greenback  National  Currency  note,  Smith  plate. 

Q.     How  has  the  Silk-fiber  been  imitated  ? 

A.  By  having  the  paper  heavily  creased  ;  by  dimly 
printed  lines  ;  by  deeply  printed  lines,  and  on  the  Japanese 
counterfeit  $2  Silver  Certificate,  Department  Series  1886, 
General  Hancock's  portrait,  by  having  something  placed 
within  the  paper  that  greatly  resembles  the  silk  cord. 

3.     COLOR  OF  PAPER. 

Q.     What  color  are  all  genuine  notes  when  new  ? 

A.  Pure  white,  excepting  where  printed  on  distinctive 
colored  paper,  as  were  the  National  Gold  Bank  notes  of 
California. 

Q.     What  color  do  genuine  notes  change  to  with  age  ? 

A.     To  a  yellow,  buff,  ecru,  or  "distinctive  color." 

Q.  When  genuine  bills  are  mutilated  or  defaced,  how 
are  they  usually  soiled  ? 

A.     In  spots  not  uniformally. 

Q.  What  is  the  usual  appearance  of  counterfeit  paper 
money  ? 

A.  Of  a  uniform  grey,  coffee,  nicotine  or  tan-bark 
juice  color. 

Q.  What  tint  of  green  on  the  backs  of  the  National 
Currency  notes  condemns  ? 

A.     A  grass  or  pea  green  ;  or  when  the  green  in  the 


68 

lathe  counter  differs   from   the   green   in  the  margin   in 
a  marked  degree. 

Q.  What  an  amount  of  black  ink  in  the  vignettes  on 
the  back  of  National  Currency  notes  condemns  ? 

A.  Such  an  amount  as  would  disregard  the  lights 
and  shades. 

4.     SHADING  OF  LETTERS. 

Q.    Of  what  does  the  shading  of  the  letters  consist  ? 

Of  very  fine,  evenly  drawn  lines  and  spaces,  being 
parallel,  equally  distant,  the  same  in  size  and  uniform 
throughout. 

Q.  What  influence  has  age  upon  the  shading  of 
letters  on  genuine  paper  money  ? 

A.  It  has  a  tendency  to  fade  away  or  become  indis- 
tinct with  age,  whereas  in  most  counterfeits  it  has  a 
tendency  to  hold  its  own. 

Q.  Around  or  about  what  words  should  you  look  for 
the  shading  ? 

A.  Wherever  found,  but  principally  around  the  most 
prominent  words  on  the  bill,  excepting  on  $10  Greenback 
National  Currency  notes  having  pointed  seal,  in  New 
York  State,  in  which  the  shading  under  the  words 
"National  Currency"  should  be  examined,  and  on  $5  in 
Massachusetts,  "White  plate,"  the  shading  should  be 
examined  beneath  the  words  "Five  Dollars." 


5.     IvATHE  WORK. 

Q.     Where  should  you  look  for  the  lathe  work  ? 
A.     Wherever    found,    but     principally    around    the 
denominational  counters. 


69 

Q.     Of  what  does  the  lathe  work  consist  ? 

A.  Of  a  series  of  endless  curved  lines  of  the  same 
size,  which  leave  a  series  of  regular  indentations  along 
the  outer  border,  and  a  series  of  similar  spaces  between 
similar  lines,  precisely  the  same  in  size,  having  a  marked 
perspective,  and  whenever  secondary  lines  appear  they 
must  appear  as  such,  not  as  primary  lines. 

Q.  What  allowance  should  be  given  for  age  in  the 
examination  of  the  lathe  work  ? 

A.  When  printed  on  a  black  background,  not  any  ; 
when  printed  upon  a  green  background,  the  greatest 
amount  of  allowance  on  account  of  the  fact  that  the 
green  in  the  genuine  seems  to  "flow  or  blur"  with  age, 
while  in  the  counterfeit  it  has  a  tendency  to  hold  its 
own. 

6.     ARTISTIC  ENGRAVING. 

Q.     Of  what  does  the  artistic  engraving  consist  ? 

A.  Portraits,  drapery,  perspective,  background,  orna- 
mental work  and  solid  print. 

Q.     How  should  the  genuine  invariably  appear  ? 

A.  The  portraits  must  look  life-like,  the  lights  and 
shades  in  the  drapery  must  be  preserved,  the  perspec- 
tive must  be  marked,  the  background  usually  consisting 
of  lines  crossing  so  as  to  form  checks,  and  descending 
gradually  from  a  dark  to  light. 

The  ornamental  work  around  portraits  has  a  tendency 
to  fade  away  on  the  genuine,  and  the  solid  print  must 
be  perfect. 

7.    DUPLICATED  DESIGNS. 

Q.     How  should  duplicated  designs  always  appear. 


yo 
A.     As  fac-similes,  being  precisely  the  same. 

8.     INKS  IN  TREASURY  AND  BANK  NUMBERS. 

Q.  How  many  colors  are  employed  in  the  numbering 
of  notes  ? 

A.  Three — red,  blue  and  brown.  The  red  is  found 
upon  all  three  issues,  the  lightest  shade  being  upon  the 
Greenbacks  ;  a  shade  deeper  on  the  National  Currency 
notes,  and  the  deepest  of  all  on  the  Treasury  notes. 

Q.  What  influence  should  age  have  on  genuine 
numbers  ? 

A.  It  should  intensify  them  ;  and  they  should  never 
fade,  scale  or  peel  off,  as  they  usually  do  in  counterfeits. 

Q.  What  other  distinctive  quality  have  the  genuine 
numbers  ? 

A.  Of  having  the  appearance  of  being  below  the  sur- 
face, or  imbedded  within  the  texture  of  the  paper. 

Q.     On  what  issues  was  the  blue  used  ? 

A.  On  the  pointed  seal,  Greenback  national  Currency 
notes,  the  blue  appeared  sometimes  in  the  treasury  num- 
ber, in  which  case  it  is  not  reliable  as  regards  the  color. 
The  blue  is  used  in  both  numbers  on  the  Treasury  notss, 
and  on  the  $5  Brown-back  National  Currency  note.  In 
some  of  the  Treasury  notes  the  blue  has  been  nicely 
imitated,  particularly  on  the  $i,  $2  and  $5  of  Silver 
Certificates.  Yet  on  the  $50  Treasury  note  of  the  series 
of  1869,  the  Blue  ink  in  the  genuine  is  of  a  deep,  indigo 
color,  while  it  is  bluish  black  in  the  counterfeit. 

Q.     What  notes  are.  numbered  in  brown  ? 

A.     Only  the  Gold  Certificates. 


g.     TYPE  IN  NUMBERS. 

Q.     What  kind  of  type  are  the  numbers  printed  in  ? 

A.  The  Greenbacks  were  printed  in  round  type  only, 
the  National  Currency  notes  with  pointed  seal  have  the 
Treasury  number  in  block  type,  and  the  bank  number 
in  round  type.  All  Treasury  notes  and  all  National 
Currency  notes  having  scalloped  seal  have  block  type 
only. 

Q.  When  block  type  is  found  in  both  numbers  on  the 
Greenback  National  Currency  notes,  what  must  also 
appear  ? 

A.  The  "scalloped  seal,"  "series  1875,"  near  the 
charter  number,  and  the  "jute  or  silk  fiber." 

10.    SIGNATURES. 

Q.     When  do  the  signatures  condemn  ? 
A.     When  they  can  be  recognized  as  forged,  or  when 
lithographed  signatures  are  found  upon  country  banks. 

ii.     CHARTER  NUMBER. 

Q.     What  should  the  charter  number  be  on  the  First 
National  Bank  of  Tamaqua,  Pa.? 
A.     1,219. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

SPECIAL  POINTS. 

Special  points  are  characteristics  of  the  genuine 
wherein  particular  and  dangerous  counterfeits  are 
defective,  and  should  be  published  or  relied  on  only 
when  the  counterfeit  plate  has  been  captured. 


72 

The  following  are  the  genuine  Greenbacks  that  have 
been  successfully  counterfeited,  and  the  special  points 
that  lead  to  their  detection.  All  wood-cuts  and  photo- 
graphs are  intentionally  omitted. 

$5.  On  "A"  and  "D."  The  portrait  of  America  is 
very  defective  in  every  feature  of  the  face  ;  the  wreath 
of  diamond  spaces  in  lathe  work  are  omitted  or  very 
poorly  copied  ;  and  the  shading  of  the  letters  either  too 
dark  or  scratchy. 

$10.  On  "B,"  "C"  and  "D" — Lincoln's  portrait 
defective  in  expression  ;  there  are  five  divisions  in  eagle's 
wing  in  the  genuine,  only  two  in  the  counterfeit ;  in 
lathe  work  the  secondary  lines  appearing  as  ellipses  ;  in 
counterfeit  appearing  as  heavy  lines  and  are  irregular. 

On  Plate  "D"  there  is  the  most  dangerous  counterfeit. 
On  the  genuine  there  must  be  3^  green  dots  separated 
by  light  spaces  by  the 'side  of  the  "i"  in  the  figures  "10" 
in  lathe  work.  In  the  counterfeit  there  are  but  three 
green  dots,  and  no  light  spaces  separating  them  ;  the 
perspective  between  the  right  wing  and  neck  of  eagle  is 
also  very  defective,  and  the  stars  on  the  shield  very 
poorly  imitated. 

$20.  On  ''A,"  "B"  and  "C". — There  are  two  regular 
rows  of  green  dashes  surrounded  by  light  borders,  one  at 
the  top  and  the  other  at  the  base  of  the  green  "20"  in 
upper  central  portion  of  note,  and  the  "20"  is  composed 
of  regular  waved  light  and  green  lines,  and  the  shield  is 
properly  shaded  ;  in  the  counterfeits  these  green  dots  and 
dashes  are  either  omitted  or  the  light  around  them  does 
not  appaar,  the  waved  lines  are  not  represented,  and  the 


73 

bars  in  the  shield  are  not  distinct  and  well  shaded.  The 
best  counterfeits  are  on  "series  24"  and  have  block  type 
in  number. 

$50.  On  "A,"  "  B,"  "C"  and  "D."  In  lathe 
work  there  appear  regular  period  and  crescent-shaped 
spaces.  On  Alexander  Hamilton's  vest  there  appear 
five  buttons  with  dark  centers  and  light  borders,  and 
from  under  the  lapel  there  appears  one-half  of  a  button. 
In  the  counterfeit  the  spaces  in  lathe  work  are  indistinct 
and  irregular.  The  buttons  do  not  have  the  light  borders, 
and  the  fifth  button  and  the  half  button  under  the  lapel 
do  not  appear.  There  is  a  flower  in  the  center  of  the 
word  Washington  which  is  omitted.  In  the  genuine 
this  flower  appears  as  a  blur  or  dark  halo  above  and 
below  "  ing." 

$100.  On  "A,"  "  B  "  and  "  C."  There  must  be  two 
light  quills  in  the  eagle's  tail,  and  on  back  of  note  the 
"  I's"  in  the  "  loo's  "  must  be  toward  the  center.  In 
the  counterfeit  there  is  but  one  quill,  and  the  "  oo's"  in 
the  "  zoo's  "  are  towards  the  center. 

$1,000.  On  "A,"  "B,"  "C"  and  (<D."  The  letters 
in  "  payable  at  the  Treasury  of  the  U.  S.,"  which  are  in 
panel  in  lower  central  portion  of  note,  are  separated  by 
hair-breadth  spaces  in  the  genuine,  and  on  the  back  of  the 
note,  in  the  green  circle  lathe  work  upon  which  appears 
"United  States  of  America,"  there  are  four  secondary 
lines  in  the  genuine  ;  in  the  counterfeit  the  aforesaid 
spacing  is  irregular  and  the  secondary  lines  omitted. 
Robert  Morris'  portrait  is  defective  in  the  flesh  test  and 


74 

lights   and  shades,   but   as  these  notes   are  practically 
withdrawn,  they  should  be  received  only  for  collection. 

SECTION  2. — NATIONAL  CURRENCY. 

All  Greenback  National  Currency  Notes  having  pointed 
seal  (excepting  the  $i's,  $500*5  and  $  1,000' s)  andthe$ioo 
having  a  scalloped  seal,  and  the  $10  Brownback  National 
Currency  Note  have  been  successfully  counterfeited. 

$2.     In  N.  Y.,  Pa.  and  R.  I.  on  "A." 

The  points  of  the  seal,  the  stars  above  portrait  and  the 
genius  of  our  Navy's  portrait  are  very  perfect  in  the 
genuine  ;  very  defective  in  the  counterfeits. 

$5.  In  111.,  on  "A."  The  tree  in  upper  right-hand 
portion  of  face  is  delicate  when  new  and  fades  away 
with  age  ;  in  the  counterfeit  it  is  very  prominent,  having 
cone-shaped  branches.  In  margin  of  face  of  note  the 
duplicated  flowers  are  connected,  not  in  broken  sections, 
as  in  the  counterfeit.  On  back,  the  green  line  that  sepa- 
rates the  vignette  from  the  green  ends  of  the  note,  if  ex- 
tended would  hit  the  "  5  "  at  right  end  in  lower  margin  ; 
in  the  counterfeit  it  would  not.  In  lathe  counters  there 
are  secondary  designs,  resembling  a  concealed  chain, 
which  grows  indistinct  with  age  ;  in  the  counterfeit  it  is 
very  prominent  and  does  not  grow  indistinct. 

$5.  In  Pa.,  on"B."  First  National  BankofTama- 
qua,  and  on  "  D,"  First  National  Bank  of  Hanover. 

In  N.  Y.,  on  "  A."  National  State  Bank  of  Troy  and 
the  National  Bank  of  Pawling.  All  these  four  counter- 
feits were  from  the  same  plate,  and  are  defective  in  the 
solid  print ;  in  the  duplicated  designs  found  in  the  bor- 


75 

der,  representing  connected  flowers,  they  being  not  con- 
nected but  appearing  in  broken  sections  ;  in  having  two 
lines  on  back  of  note  at  the  left  end  of  vignette,  but  one 
in  genuine  extending  toward  the  "5"  in  lower  margin, 
and  in  not  having  the  light  scallops  that  appear  in  the 
lower  edge  of  lower  margin  on  back  continued  out  beyond 
the  lathe  counter.  Most  of  these  notes  have  Block  type 
only,  and  do  not  have  a  "  scallop  seal,"  "series  1875," 
and  the  silk  fiber  as  do  the  genuine. 

$5,  Mass.  On  "  C,"  First  National  Bank  of  North- 
ampton and  Merchants'  National  Bank  of  New  Bedford, 
and  on  "C"  and  "D,"  Hampden  National  Bank  of 
Westfield.  The  cap  and  knee  divisions  in  end  of  the 
boat,  in  the  bow  of  which  Columbus  is  standing,  are 
omitted.  The  shading  of  the  letters  should  be  examined 
beneath  the  words  "Five  Dollars "  in  the  genuine. 
These  lines  are  parallel,  while  in  the  counterfeit  they  are 
farther  separated  one  from  the  other  beneath  the  words 
' '  Dollars ' '  than  under  the  word  ' '  Five, ' '  thus  appearing 
wedge-shaped.  On  back  of  note  the  line  misses  the  "5" 
at  the  left  end. 

$10,  N.  Y.  on  "A."  The  braces  over  the  ''Ten"  in 
upper  left-hand  corner  are  separated  and  come  down  to 
the  "E"  in  the  genuine;  connected  in  the  counterfeit. 
The  shading  should  be  examined  beneath  the  words 
"  National  Currency,"  the  lowermost  line  under  the  word 
"  Currency  "  being  twice  as  large  in  the  counterfeit  as  it 
should  be.  The  hearts  in  lathe  counter  in  upper  right- 
hand  corner  of  the  face  appear  with  light  spots  on  their 
lobes,  and  fade  away  with  age  on  the  genuine.  In  the 


76 

counterfeits  these  hearts  are  black  and  too  prominent. 
The  eagle's  wing  has  three  distinct  divisions  in  the 
genuine  ;  in  the  counterfeit,  poorly  engraved. 

On  the  back  of  note  the  shoulders  of  the  braces  in  lathe 
counters  if  extended  would  cross  in  the  center  ;  in  the 
counterfeits  they  are  irregular. 

$10,  Ind.,  "A."  All  on  Lafayette,  Muncie  and  Rich- 
mond banks  having  1,496  as  bank  number  are  bad,  and 
the  braces  over  the  word  ' '  Ten  ' '  are  broken  and  do  not 
come  down  to  the  "E,"  and  they  have  Block  type  only, 
yet  bear  a  pointed  seal,  having  no  "series  1875"  nor 
"jute  fiber." 

$10,  Pa.,  "  B."  On  First  and  Third  National  banks 
of  Philadelphia,  Pa.  These  counterfeits  are  very  poor  in 
both  bank  and  Treasury  numbers,  in  the  hearts  they 
being  black  and  too  prominent,  in  the  eagle's  wings  and 
in  the  lathe  work  on  back  of  the  note. 

$20,  in  N.  Y.  on  "  B."  The  points  of  the  seal  are  not 
regular.  All  N.  Y.  $20  bills  that  have  been  counterfeited 
bear  the  small  pointed  seal  and  have  no  charter  number, 
and  on  those  banks  on  which  they  have  appeared  S.  B. 
Colby  should  appear  as  register  of  the  Treasury  on  "  B  " 
bills.  The  counterfeits  have  L.  E.  Chittenden.  On  the 
back  the  lights  and  shades  in  the  vignette  are  defective, 
and  in  the  lathe  counters  in  the  genuine  the  larger  spaces 
are  within  the  light  secondary  line  that  goes  waving 
around  near  the  outer  border.  In  the  counterfeit  the 
spaces  are  larger  on  the  outside  and  are  irregular.  On 
the  genuine  there  is  a  green,  waved  line  which  runs  into 
and  becomes  a  part  of  the  shading  of  the  "  O  "  in  the  $20 


77 

on  lathe  counters;  in  the  counterfeit  it  passes  b}r,  leaving 
a  space  between.  There  are  $20  counterfeits  ' 'A' '  plate  on 
the  First  National  Banks  of  Portland,  Conn.,  and  Indian- 
apolis, Ind.,  and  on  the  Fourth  National  Bank  of  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  but  they  are  very  defective  in  artistic  en 
graving  and  have  no  lathe  work. 

$50  in  N.  Y.,  on  "A,"  "B,"  "C"  and  "D"— The  left 
hand  of  the  female  representing  Victory  is  plainly  notice- 
able ;  in  the  counterfeit  it  appears  as  though  amputated. 
The  middle  finger  of  the  right  hand  of  the  soldier,  if 
extended,  would  hit  his  left  foot :  in  the  counterfeit  it 
would  strike  his  right.  On  back  of  note  the  ropes  are 
shaded  in  the  genuine,  not  so  in  the  counterfeit ;  and  in 
the  lathe  counters  the  light  secondary  line  is  cut  into  by 
the  tip  of  the  "5"  in  both  upper  ends;  in  the  counterfeit 
it  misses  the  "5"  in  right  counter.  The  figure  of  Justice 
in  the  genuine  is  blindfolded  ;  in  the  counterfeit  she  has 
eyes. 

$100.  There  have  been  two  different  plates  known  as 
the  old  and  the  new,  counterfeit,  issued  on  the  $100 
N.  C.  The  old  counterfeit  was  run  off  on  the  First 
National  Bank  of  Boston,  Mass.,  the  Central  National 
Bank  of  the  City  of  New  York,  and  the  Ohio  National 
Bank  of  Cincinnati,  O.  All  these  were  defective  in  not 
having  two  pen  strokes  before  and  after  the  words  "Will 
Pay",  in  not  having  the  two  "oo"  in  the  "100"  separated 
by  a  light  line,  in  the  portrait  of  Goddess  and  in  the  leaves 
in  the  lower  margin,  they  resembling  shells.  The  new 
counterfeit  was  the  "Smith  Plate."  This  is  the  most 
dangerous  of  all  counterfeits  ever  issued  on  the  National 


78 

Currency  notes,  and  was  run  off  on  the  following  banks  : 
The  Merchants  National  Bank,  of  New  Bedford,  Mass. 
The  Pittsfield  National  Bank,  of  Pittsfield, 
The  National  Revere  Bank,  of  Boston, 
The  National  Exchange  Bank,  of  Baltimore,  Md. 
Second  National  Bank,  of  Wilkesbarre,  Pa. 
The   Pittsburg  National   Bank,  of  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  and 
The  Pittsburg  National  Bank  of  Commerce,  of  Pitts- 
burg, Pa. 

In  all  genuine  $100  National  Currency  notes,  the  light 
space  that  separates  the  Goddess'  wing  from  the  shading 
of  the  large  "C"  is  an  eighth  of  an  inch;  in  these 
counterfeits  it  is  only  a  little  more  than  half  of  the 
proper  space.  On  the  backs  of  these  counterfeits,  the 
lights  and  shades  in  the  vignettes  are  very  defective  in 
the  pants  and  leggins,  and  in  the  background  below  the 
chairs ;  when  the  scalloped  seal  appears,  it  is  very 
defective  in  not  showing  the  slot  in  the  key,  not  having 
the  two  light  lines  defining  the  square,  and  in  the  letters 
of  the  monogram,  they  being  perfectly  legible  in  the 
genuine.  Some  of  these  counterfeits  are  printed  on 
imitation  jute-fibered  paper. 

SECTION  3. — TREASURY  NOTES. 

Si  Silver  Certificate,  series  1886. — Martha  Washing- 
ton's portrait  defective  in  every  feature.  No  silk  thread. 
Secondary  pattern  in  lathe  work  looks  too  solid  a  white 
and  broken. 

$2  Silver  Certificates — Hancock's  portrait,  series  1886. 
This  counterfeit  plate  has  not  been  captured,  but  the 


79 

defects  appearing  thereon  that  the  counterfeiter  cannot 
remedy,  which  are  the  only  information  the  public  should 
rely  on,  or  that  should  ever  he  given  to  the  public,  are 
in  having  the  flesh  test  on  Hancock's  portrait  too  dark, 
in  having  the  secondary  lines  and  designs  in  lathe  work 
-on  back  of  note  appear  in  many  places  as  primary  lines, 
in  not  having  genuine  silk  thread,  which  is  represented 
by  deeply  printed  lines  that  stain  the  paper,  or  by  light 
printed  lines,  or  by  creasing,  or  by  something  within  the 
paper  that  greatly  resembles  silk  thread. 

$5  "C,"  series  of  1875. — The  pen  stroke  between 
and  below  "seriesof"  and  in  "1875"  are  omitted.  Jack- 
son's portrait  has  a  frightened  expression  and  no  jute- 
fibre;  however,  some  have  printed  marks  in  the  open 
space  on  back  of  the  note  instead. 

$5  Silver  Certificate,  Department  series  1886. — General 
U.  S.  Grant's  portrait  not  life-like,  and  defective  in  every 
feature.  No  silk  thread,  but  dimly  printed  lines  on 
back  of  note  instead,  or  omitted.  The  secondary  design 
in  lathe  work  in  upper  right-hand  corner  appearing  like 
lace,  poorly  done.  Shading  of  letters  too  dark. 

$10  "C,"  series  1875. — Webster's  portrait  very  poorly 
engraved  in  even*  feature.  The  lights  and  shades  on 
face  and  on  the  bosom  of  the  shirt  being  too  dark  and 
the  lapel  of  coat  appearing  as  though  it  were  patched, 
condemns  instantly.  Jute-fiber  omitted,  but  sometimes 
imitated  by  printed  marks  in  open  space  on  back. 

$20  Silver  Certificate,  series  1880,  on  "C,"  bearing 
large,  brown  seal  and  "XX"  printed  in  same  ink.  No 
silk  thread  ;  the  lights  and  shades  on  drapery  of 


8o 

Steven  Decatur's  coat  very  defective,  having  stripes  on 
his  left  arm  more  like  a  sergeant's  than  a  general's 
uniform. 

$20,  series  1875-1878. — Pen  and  ink  production.  Very 
defective,  but  most  noticeable  in  lathe  work.  Has  hairs 
put  into  the  paper  under  a  patch  to  represent  the  jute  on* 
back  of  note. 

$50  "B,"  series  of  1869. — The  pen  stroke  between 
"series  of"  and  "1869"  omitted.  Blue  ink  in  numbers 
of  a  bluish  black  ;  large,  bright  cherry  color  seal,  a  faded 
brick  color.  Checks  above  Clay's  portrait  approaching 
a  mass.  The  jute-fiber  omitted,  but  sometimes  imitated 
by  printed  marks  upon  the  face  of  note  near  Clay's  por- 
trait, and  the  three  regular  rows  of  similar  sized  period- 
shaped  spaces  that  are  on  both  ends  of  lathe  counter  in 
upper  right-hand  corner  of  face  are  very  irregular  and 
only  two  rows  visible. 

$50,  series  1875.  Pen  and  ink  production.  Very  de- 
fective. 

$500  "A,"  "B,"  "C"  and  "D,"  series  of  1869. — The 
shield  in  seal  too  prominent.  The  stars  following 
Treasury-  numbers  have  irregular  points.  The  buttons  on 
J.  Q.  Adams'  portrait  should  be  round,  not  having  sides. 
The  jute-fibers,  that  should  be  mostly  blue,  are  imitated 
by  something  within  the  paper  greatly  resembling  it,  yet 
the  red  color  predominates  and  it  is  too  coarse.  The 
lathe  counters  are  equal  to  the  genuine,  and  as  the 
genuine  notes  on  this  bill  have  been  mostly  withdrawn, 
they  should  be  only  accepted  for  collection. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
HOW  TO  BECOME  EXPERT. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  in  learning  the 
distinctive  elements  of  genuine  paper  currency  to  know 
wherein  imitations  are  most  liable  to  be  defective.  Correct 
information  on  this  point  must  take  into  consideration 
the  relative  difficulty  the  counterfeiter  labors  under  in 
imitating  each  of  the  fundamental  principles  heretofore 
explained,  in  the  same  way  the  minor  principles  must  be 
considered,  and  then  reference  must  be  had  to  the  kind 
of  counterfeit  under  consideration  both  as  regards  the 
sort  it  purports  to  be,  and  the  manner  of  its  production. 
Counterfeit  and  spurious  notes  from  plate,  stone  or  wood 
engravings  always  fail  in  all  of  the  fundamental  princi- 
ples (unless  they  are  in  part  or  wholly  from  stolen  plates) 
and  always  fail  in  some  of  the  minor  principles  in  a 
more  or  less  marked  degree.  In  giving  the  fundamental 
principles  we  carefully  noted  the  instances  where  danger- 
ous imitations  had  been  made  ;  to  summarize,  however,  it 
may  be  given  as  the  most  general  and  comprehensive  rule 
that  has  the  fewest  exception?,  that  all  of  these  most 
dangerous  imitations  are  most  frequently  most  defective 
in  the  following  order  :  (i).  In  general  appearance.  (2). 
In  the  texture  and  other  distinctive  qualities  of  the 
paper,  including  the  color.  (3).  In  the  mechanical 
engraving,  namely,  the  lathe  work,  the  ruling  engine 
work,  the  cycloidal  engine  work  and  the  transfer  machine 


82 

work.  (4).  In  the  color  and  other  qualities  of  the  ink 
employed  in  printing  the  treasury  and  bank  numbers. 
(5).  In  artistic  engravings,  and  in  these  very  nearly  in 
the  order  considered.  (6).  In  the  minor  elements. 

If  the  imitation  is  a  photograph,  then  not  so  much  in 
the  execution  of  the  dark  engravings  as  in  the  other 
colored  designs,  on  account  of  the  impossibility  to  reprint 
or  retouch  the  colors  other  than  black  with  accurate 
precision  ;  but  the  qualities  of  the  paper  are  here  infalli- 
ble. In  altered  notes  the  duplicated  designs  in  the  mar- 
gin or  elsewhere,  usually  in  figures  or  solid  print,  denot- 
ing the  lawful  amount,  and  the  great  fact  that  no  two 
genuine  notes  of  different  denominations  look  at  all  alike 
on  account  of  bearing  different  portraits,  vignettes  and 
entire  designs  form  infallible  guides.  No  one,  save  an 
inexperienced  person,  should  be  imposed  upon  by  altered 
notes;  to  be  certain  never  to  take  an  altered  note  one  has 
only  to  familiarize  himself  with  the  various  artistic  designs 
on  each  and  every  note  that  is  a  part  of  our  circulating 
medium,  which  we  have  given  with  great  care  elsewhere. 
It  is  to  be  presumed  that  anyone  who  has  thoroughly 
studied  all  the  principles  herein  explained,  and  by  care- 
ful study  by  comparison  with  genuine  notes  has  fixed 
them  firmly  in  mind,  will  need  no  further  information, 
and  yet  before  we  close  we  feel  like  giving  a  word  of 
caution. 

Do  not  take  a  piece  of  paper  currency  unless  you  see 
the  entire  note.  While  handling  money  take  nothing 
for  granted,  but  be  careful  that  before  you  accept  you 
know  that  each  note  is  genuine.  Get  into  this  habit, 


83 

and  it  will  be  but  a  short  time  before  you  can  tell  at   a 
glance  and  to  a  certainty. 

To  become  an  expert  judge  of  money  one  must  master 
the  entire  subject,  (i).  He  must  become  familiar  with 
all  the  distinguishing  characteristics  of  all  the  govern- 
ment safe-guards.  (2).  He  must  know  the  exact  designs 
found  on  the  various  genuine  notes.  (3).  He  must 
know  wherein  counterfeits  are  most  liable  to  be  defective. 
(4).  He  must  know  the  effect  of  age  on  both  good  and 
bad  paper  money.  (5).  He  should  know  the  various 
notes  that  have  been  successfully  counterfeited.  To 
accomplish  this,  the  quickest  method  known  is  to  secure 
practical  instruction  from  competent,  skillful  and  honest 
instructors.  The  next  best  method  is  to  learn  all  that  is 
contained  in  this  work  and  to  take  a  sample  of  each 
genuine  note  and  thoroughly  master  it  by  careful  exam- 
ination to  the  end  that  any  variation  therefrom  will  be 
instantly  recognized.  It  is  best  for  banks  to  select  nice, 
new  samples  of  all  the  genuine  notes  of  the  various  issues 
of  different  designs  that  have  been  successfully  counter- 
feited, and  keep  them  for  study  and  comparison.  Then, 
whenever  a  suspicious  note  is  presented,  by  ready  com- 
parison with  the  standard,  its  true  character  may  be 
infallibly  told.  This  careful  method  of  study,  examina- 
tion and  comparison  are  the  several  steps  along  the  path- 
way that  leads  to  the  summit  of  knowledge  where  with 
self-confidence  one  can  instantly  and  accurately  deter- 
mine the  true  character  of  all  paper  money.  This  is  the 
ability  of  the  expert,  which  this  work  is  intended  to 
aid  in  securing. 


REASONS    FOR    THE    NECESSITY    OF 
BECOMING   EXPERT. 


Why  become  expert  ? 

The  reasons  why  every  person  who  handles  currency 
should  become  good  judges  of  money  would  seem  to  be 
self-evident,  yet  in  a  work  of  this  character,  that  assumes 
to  furnish  complete  practical  information  in  regard  to 
"  Our  Paper  Currency  "  it  seems  not  out  of  place  to  make 
the  following  suggestions  : 

1.  In  the   first  place,    the  law  of  the  land  declares 
"Counterfeiting   or  altering  this    note   or   passing   any 
counterfeit  or  alteration  of  it,    or   having    in  possession 
any  false  or  counterfeit  plate  or  impression  of  it,  or  any 
paper   made   in   imitation  of  the  paper  on  which  it  is 
printed,   is  felony,  and  is  punishable  by  five  thousand 
dollars  ($5,000)  fine  or  fifteen  (15)  years  imprisonment  at 
hard  labor,  or  both,"  which  is  found  on  the  back  of  many 
notes. 

2.  "  Ignorance  of  the  law  excuseth  no  man." 

3.  It  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  protect  one  from 
loss  by  imposition. 

4.  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  the  government, 
in  whose  prosperity  every  good  citizen  should  willingly 
do  all  in  his  power  to  keep  our  circulating  medium  pure. 

5.  The  officers  in  all  banks  and  other  handlers  of 


85 

public  money,  who  are  looked  to  in  their  several  locali- 
ties as  authoritive  judges,  have  a  public  duty  as  \vell  as 
a  private  interest  to  become  expert  judges,  for  they  ought 
not,  on  account  of  lack  of  information,  to  be  the  uncon- 
scious agents  of  the  counterfeiter  in  aiding  to  circulate 
counterfeit  money. 

6.  Banks   should   have  expert   judges,  not  only  to 
avoid  loss  from  imposition  and  to  aid  in  the  suppression 
of  counterfeit  money,   but  also  to  enable  them  to  identify 
and  accept  all  genuine  notes  presented.     I  have  seen 
many  genuine  notes  pronounced  counterfeit,  and  even 
branded  as  such  by  bank  officials  from  want  of  a  perfect 
knowledge. 

7.  Counterfeit   notes  have   been    returned   to  many 
banks  by  persons  who  said  they  received  them  therefrom, 
which,   if  only  expert  judges  were  in  said  banks,  they 
would  have  been  enabled  to  make  affidavit  that  they  had 
never  handled   the  same,    and   thus  protect  themselves 
from  this  class  of  swindlers. 

8.  Every  person  should  have  a  commendable  pride  in 
being  proficient  in  his  particular  calling,  ajid  it  can  be 
truthfully  said  that  no  one  who  handles  currency  can  be 
too  well  informed. 


INDORSEMEMTS  AND  RECOMMENDATIONS. 


From  a  large  volume  in  our  possession,  consisting  of 
endorsements  and  recommendations  of  my  Instructions 
on  Genuine  Money,  the  few  that  are  hereby  submitted 
have  been  selected  by  the  author. 

Page  198.  "CHICAGO,  ILL.,  June  28th,  1881. 

A  short  time  ago  there  appeared  at  my  window  a 
gentleman  bearing  the  card,  B.  N.  Rooks,  'Expert.'  I 
was  inclined  at  first,  being  very  busy,  to  pay  him  little 
or  no  attention.  Second  thought,  I  made  an  engagement 
with  him  to  test  his  qualities,  in  fact,  he  tested  mine.  I 
have  studied  carefully  his  method  of  instructing  those 
familiar  with  money.  To  tellers,  cashiers  or  any  one 
dependent  on  their  judgment  as  to  decision,  the  better  the 
expert,  the  more  he  will  appreciate  the  lesson 
Yours  respectfully, 

(Signed)     E.  C.  VEASEY." 
"Note  Teller,"  First  National  Bank. 

Page  137.  "FoND  DU  LAC,  Wis.,  June  17,  1878. 

In  these  balmy  days  for  the  counterfeiter,  it  is  a  fine 
thing  to  be  able  to  tell  at  a  glance  the  best  counterfeits, 
as  well  as  identify  the  most  worn  genuine  bills.  After  a 
person  has  been  thoroughly  instructed  by  Prof.  B.  N. 


87 

Rooks,  he  will  have  the  perfect  confidence  and  satisfac- 
tion of  knowing-  that  he  can  tell  at  a  glance  and  to  a 
certainty.  (Signed).  GEO.  L,.  ARNOLD, 

Teller  First  National  Bank. 

Page  245.  "THE  UNIVERSITY  BANK  OF 

L,os  ANGELES,  Cal. 

Prof.  B.  N.  Rooks  offers  $1,000  for  any  one  to  whom 
he  has  not  imparted  his  instruction,  who  will  accurately 
separate  his  collection.  He  called  at  this  bank  on  April 
i,  1890,  and  his  test  collection  was  separated  by  myself 
without  an  error.  (I  make  this  statement  at  the  Profes- 
sor's request).  He  proved,  however,  by  the  letter  writ- 
ten by  me  in  1878,  and  found  on  page  137  of  this  book, 
that  he  gave  me  his  instruction  twelve  years  ago.  He 
has  given  instructions  to  four  persons  connected  with  our 
bank. 

Have  ever  found  his  instructions  strictly  reliable.  I 
therefore  most  gladly  recommend  both  the  instructor  and 
his  valuable,  reliable  and  practicable  instruction  to  all 
who  wish  to  become  self-reliant  in  this  important  field  of 
bank  work.  (Signed).  GEO.  L,.  ARNOLD, 

Stamp:  Cashier." 

"Compliments  of 
THE  UNIVERSITY  BANK  OF  L,os  ANGELES,  CAL." 


Page  186.          "OFFICE  OF  ASS'T  TREASURER,  U.  S.  ) 
ST.  L/ouiS,  May  15,  1880.  j 

I  have  taken  ' '  points '  from  Mr.  Rooks,  and  have  no 
hesitancy  in  saying  that  anyone  taking  lessons  from  him 


will  be  enabled  to  detect  the  most  dangerous  counterfeits. 
I  think  his  system  and  his  mode  ot  imparting  instruction 
are  the  most  thorough,  and  the  very  best  that  is  going. 

(Signed)     WM.  W.  BELL, 
Chief  Clerk  and  Cashier,  U.  S.  Treasury. 
(Signed)     SAML.  E.  SNEED, 

Teller  U.  S.  Treasury." 

Page  10.  "Fr.  WAYNE,  Ind.,  Dec.  30,  1874. 

The  system  of  instruction  on  Genuine  Currency  given 
by  Mr.   Rooks  I  deem  most  invaluable,  and  cheerfully 
recommend  Mr.  R's  teaching  to  anyone  desirous  of  be- 
coming a  ready  and  self-reliant  judge  of  money. 
(Signed)    W.  L.  PETTIT, 

Teller  First  National  Bank." 

Page  213.  "FoRT  WAYNE,  Ind.,  Sept.  19,  1884. 

Having  ten  years  ago  received  instruction  on  Genuine 
Currency  from  Prof.  B.  N.  Rooks,  I  can  in  confidence 
recommend  the  same  to  be  all  anyone  needs  to  become  a 
ready  and  self-reliant  judge  of  money.  I  can  tiuthfully 
say  that  since  taking  his  instructions  I  have  not  lost  a 
single  counterfeit  note.  These  instructions  are  of  the 
greatest  value  to  persons  who  have  to  handle  money 
quickly.  I  therefore  take  pleasure  in  doing  tribute  to 
honest  merit  in  thus  unqualifiedly  indorsing  and  recom- 
mending both  the  instructions  and  the  instructor. 

(Signed)     W.  L,.  PETTIT, 
Teller  First  National  Bank,  Ft.  Wayne." 


89 

Page  184.  "BOATMEN'S  SAVINGS  BANK,  j 

ST.  Louis,  April  5,  1880.      I 

No  one  handling  currency  can  afford  to  do  without 
the  '  Rook's  Method,'  as  it  is  in  my  opinion  based  upon 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  genuine,  and  furnishes  an 
infallible  guide  to  the  detection  of  the  most  cleverly 
executed  counterfeits  at  sight,  and  affords  positive 
means  of  identifying  the  most  mutilated  genuine  bill. 
I  therefore  take  pleasure  in  recommending  him  to  all. 
(Signed)  C.  S.  JONES, 

Paying  Teller." 

Page  116.  "CLEVELAND,  O.,  Oct.  22,  1877. 

I  regard  the  instruction  imparted  by  Prof.  B.  N.  Rooks 
the  only  true  method  of  acquiring  a  complete  knowledge 
of  money. 

(Signed)     WM.  H.  BARRIS,  of 

E.  B.  Hale  &  Co.,  Bankers." 

Page  135.  "MADISON,  Wis.,  May  8,  1878. 

Prof.  B.  N.  Rooks  has  certainly  reduced  the  knowledge 
of  genuine  money  to  a  perfect  system  that  anyone  can 
master  and  apply;  after  being  thoroughly  instructed  by 
him  the  most  cleverly  executed  counterfeits  can  be  detect- 
ed at  a  glance  ;  having  tested  them  we  believe  them 
complete  and  excellent  in  every  particular.  They  are  all 
he  claims  for  them.  A  sure  and  ready  test  for  all  paper 
currency. 

(Signed)     A.  W.  CLARKE, 
Asst.  Cashier  Park  Savings  Bank." 


90 

Page  134.  "STATE  TREASURER'S  OFFICE, 

MADISON,  May  31,  1878. 
The  instruction  imparted  by  Prof.  B.  N.  Rooks  in  the 
science  of  genuine  money  is  very  thorough  and  complete. 
The  facts  given  are  sufficient  to  enable  any  person  to 
become  a  ready  and  self-reliant  judge  of  money. 

(Signed)     RICHARD,  GUENTHER, 

State  Treasurer. 

Page  221.  "OMAHA,  Neb.,  Nov.  24,  1887. 

When  I  first  met  Prof.  Rooks  I  am  free  to  confess  that 
I  was  very  skeptical,  believing  that  twenty  years  ex- 
perience had  given  me  such  knowledge  of  genuine  cur- 
rency as  could  not  be  materially  improved  by  his  instruc- 
tions, but  having  studied  carefully  his  methods  I  am 
pleased  to  say  that  I  consider  the  facts  given  by  him 
worth  many  times  the  expense  of  taking  his  instructions. 
"To  tellers,  cashiers  and  others  who  handle  currency,  I 
would  say  the  better  the  expert  the  more  he  will  appre- 
ciate these  instructions." 

(Signed)     R.  CARRIER, 
Ass't  Cashier  Omaha  National  Bank." 

Page  232.  "  FIRST  NATIONAL  BANK,  ) 

San  Francisco,  Cal.        ) 

Having  been  instructed  by  Prof.  B.  N.  Rooks  on  Gen- 
uine Currency,  I  am  pleased  to  say  they  are  complete 
and  of  lasting  value.  This  instruction  being  founded  on 
the  genuine  can  be  easily  remembered  and  quickly  ap- 


91 

plied,   and  furnish   ready  and  certain  tests  of  the  true 
character  of  any  note.     I  gladly  recommend  them. 
(Signed)     GKO.  R.  MAXWELL, 

Paying  Teller. 

Page  237.  "DONOHOE,  KELLY  &  Co., 

SAN  FRANCISCO,  Cal. 

Take  the  Rooks'  Instruction  on  Genuine  Currency, 
and  you  will  have  a  far  better  kowledge  of  what  consti- 
tutes the  government  securities  on  our  paper  currency 
than  is  possible  to  obtain  in  any  othtr  way,  either  by 
counter  experience,  or  by  taking  the  imperfect  instruc- 
tion on  counterfeit  money  as  imparted  by  other  teachers. 
This  is  the  very  best  instruction  of  the  best  kind,  being 
complete  and  thorough  information  on  the  genuine.  We 
therefore  cheerfully  recommend  it. 

(Stamp)    'DONOHOE,  KELLY  &  Co.,  Aug.  28,  1889.' 
(Signed).     J.  W.  FLOOD, 

of  Donohoe,  Kelly  &  Co. 
"  M.  I.  RODRIGUE, 

Receiving  Teller. 
"  F.  R.  CHADWICK, 

Exchange  Teller. 
C.  M.  FLOOD, 

Ass't  Teller." 

Page  236.  "PACIFIC  BANK. 

We  deem  the  facts  given  by  Prof.  B.  N.  Rooks  on 
Genuine  Currency  absolutely  indispensable  to  all  persons 


92 

handling  currency.  This  instruction  is  reliable,  thorough 
and  very  practical,  as  the  general  principles  apply  alike 
to  all  bills  and  and  can  be  easily  remembered  and 
quickly  applied.  We,  therefore,  cheerfully  recommend 
both  the  instruction  and  the  thoroughness  with  which  it  is 
given.  (Signed).  F.  V.  MCDONALD, 

Cashier. 

Seal:  Louis  VESARIA, 

PACIFIC  BANK,  Paying  Teller. 

San  Francisco.  M.  W.  UPTON, 

Receiving  Teller. ' ' 

Page  252.  " FIRST  NATIONAL  BANK, 

PORTLAND,  Oregon,  Feb.  n,  1891. 
To  those  desiring  to  possess  themselves  of  the  knowl- 
edge imparted  by  Prof.  B.  N.  Rooks,  it  is  safe  to  say  no 
more  perfect  method  exists.  It  is  at  once  clear  and 
comprehensive,  and  its  thoroughness  in  every  detail 
commends  itself  at  once.  I  think  it  a  privilege  to 
commend  what  I  have  reason  to  believe  the  most  perfect 
system  extant.  (Signed).  D.  W.  Ross, 

Paying  Teller." 


University  of  California 

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LOS  ANGELES,  CALIFORNIA  90095-1388 
Return  this  material  to  the  library  from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


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©Agreement 


(pHE  RIGHT  to  read  and  retain  in  our 
possession  this  volume  of  "Our  Paper 
Currency  ' '  has  been  purchased  from  the 
author  under  the  expressed  understanding 
and  agreement,  that  it  shall  only  be  used 
to  protect  our  interests  in  saving  us  from 
1  oss  by  imposition  of  counterfeit  or  fraudu- 
lent money;  that  it  will  not  be  loaned  to 
any  person  excepting  to  those  in  whose  loss 
our  pecuniary  interests  are  affected,  and  that 
a  copy  of  any  part  of  the  same  shall  not  be 
furnished  to  anyone;  accepting  the  above 
'conditions  as  part  consideration  paid  there- 
for, we  do  hereby  agree  to"  the  same  as  our 
signature  or  seal  hereto  signed  or  affixed, 

WlTNESSETB  : 


IMiTLBIt 

MAY 
OMAHA, 


